Might as well have a crack!

MIGHT as well have a crack!

That's the philosophy veteran trainer Dean Atkinson has adopted ahead of the famed Chariots Of Fire.

Australasia's premier four-year-old event, the Group One is scheduled to be conducted at Club Menangle on March 7.

Qualifiers are programmed to be conducted around the 1400-metre circuit on February 21 and 28, with Atkinson setting his sights on the former - the Hondo Grattan Stake - with promising pacer Perfect Stranger.

A lightly-raced son of Art Major, Perfect Stranger took his record to six wins and three placings from 14 starts with his success at Menangle last Saturday night.

"He hasn't done a lot of racing, but is improving all the time," Atkinson said. "It's a big step up just to go in the heats, but we're going to give it a try.

"Hopefully he will get a run in the heats and then make the Chariots, which would be a lovely dream.

"I've trained some Group One runners before, but potentially, he is the best I have had."

Driven by Brad Hewitt during his latest outing, Perfect Stranger led from barrier four before being eased to take a trail behind Sinabun.

Angled away from the pegs at the top of the home straight, Perfect Stranger regained the front in the shadows of the post to score by a short half-head from Coastal Drive, which was gallant after breaking stride at the start before racing in the 'death seat'.

Sinabun battled on to be six metres away third as the winner covered the mile in 1:50.5.

"I was pretty confident with him before the race, but not enough to think he had it won," Atkinson said. "He began well at the start, got a nice trail and finished it off strong, which was good to see.

"He is such a big horse and his owners have taken their time with him and I'm sure he will keep getting better with experience and age."