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By Ray Hickson

There’s a sense of confidence around the Chris Waller-trained mare Atishu heading into Saturday’s $1 million TAB Gong (1600m) at Kembla Grange and jockey Kerrin McEvoy says it appears she’ll have conditions conducive to a big performance.

Atishu was as much as $12 in early TAB markets but was a clear second elect at $6.50 on Friday with the forecast for some rain and a favourable barrier on her side.

The four-year-old was never a factor in the Golden Eagle last start after she jumped slowly but McEvoy is hoping not to be giving away as much start in The Gong.

“She put in a nice performance there without anything going her way,’’ he said.

“If she begins well there’s no reason for her to be out of her ground, so hopefully she can begin on terms and make use of the draw.

“You’d like to think a mile in The Gong is going to see her run a nice race with no weight on her back.”

McEvoy, who won the $2m The Invitation this spring on Icebath, partnered Atishu to a win at her Australian debut back in August and is well aware of her ability and her intricacies.

She was a Group 3 winner in the Bill Ritchie before being beaten under two lengths in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap.

With New Zealand soft and heavy track form in the locker he knows if Kembla Grange does become affected as expected it has the potential to enhance her chances given she’s not seen anything worse than a soft 5 in Sydney.

Atishu wins the Bill Ritchie in September

“It’s nice to have that in her armoury to have a soft track or heavy track win,’’ hew said.

“She put up a fantastic win first-up and I got too far our of my ground on her second-up. She’s come out and put up a couple of nice runs since then.”

McEvoy rode in the inaugural running of The Gong in 2019, finishing fifth on El Dorado Dreaming, and has the view that, whether she wins on Saturday or not, 2022 is going to be a good year for Atishu.

“She’s definitely got a nice win in Australia, whether it is this prep or next prep,’’ he said.

“She’s a great little race mare, she has a lot on her side in terms of ability so you’d like to think if that ability shines through she will make her presence felt.”

Among McEvoy’s Kembla rides is Savvy Legend who curiously resumes without a trial in the PFD Food Services Midway (1400m).

The five-year-old chased home Harpo Marx two starts ago on a heavy track and has the ability to perform well fresh evidenced by his first-up showing earlier this year.

McEvoy said he’s a little in the dark about Savvy Legend this campaign but is happy to side with Les Bridge’s decision not to trial him.

“He’s a nice progressive horse. I haven’t been on him at all and he hasn’t had any trials,’’ he said.

“It’ll be interesting to see how he presents with no doubt Les looking to gain some improvement out of him.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's The Gong meeting at Kembla Grange