JJ Atkins – 2020

Track: Good   Weather: Fine

There is a full field of 18 runners plus two emergencies for the $350,000 JJ Atkins. The early favourite is Rothfire who was a strong winner of the Group 2 Champagne Classis 2YO Plate at Eagle Farm last start and has won 5 of his 6 starts. Second favourite is Wisdom Of Water who won the Group 3 Ken Russell 2YO Plate at the Gold Coast by 2.8 lengths last start to give him 3 wins from 5 starts, and third favourite is the unbeaten filly Macroura who won the Listed Woodlands Stakes at Rosehill by 1.5 lengths last outing.

Isotope won her first two starts before finishing 2nd in the Champagne Classic last start, while Wild Ruler ran 3rd in that race. Not An Option came 6th in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes at Randwick last start. Overlord has been placed in all three of his starts and has run some fast sectionals. The Drinks Cart has won both of his starts this campaign and could place. All other runners are currently 25 to 1 or longer.

1. Rothfire

This horse has won 5 of his 6 starts, mostly by big margins, and 4 of those wins have been on this track. His only defeat was a 2 length 2nd on a slow track over 1200m at Gold Coast on 14 March. At his most recent start he won the Group 2 Champagne Classic 2YO Plate by a comfortable 1.3 lengths over 1200m at Eagle Farm on 23 May.  He looks the likely winner.

2. Wild Ruler

He won the Inglis Nursery at Randwick on debut, then at his 2nd start he fought strongly to finish 2nd behind Macroura. At his 3rd and most recent start he ran 3rd in the Champagne Classic 2YO Plate behind Rothfire. All three runs have been good and he is capable of placing here.

3. Wisdom of Water

With 3 wins from 5 starts,  this horse has to be rated as one of the chances here. He won a QTIS 2YO Plate by 5.5 lengths over 1200m at the Gold Coast on 1 May, then showed that was no fluke with a 2.9 length win in the Group 3 Ken Russell 2YO Plate over 1200m at the Gold Coast on 16 May.

4. Not An Option

This Not A Single Doubt colt was a Group 2 winner in New Zealand before coming to Australia. He has had 2 runs here for 3rd in the Group 3 Kindergarten Stakes over 1100m at Randwick on 4 April then stepped up to Group 1 company and finished 6th in the Champagne Stakes over 1600m at Randwick on 18 April. He hasn’t raced for seven weeks but won a Canterbury trial on 29 May.

5. The Drinks Cart

In his first preparation this gelding won one of his three starts but has won both starts this preparation by good margins. He won a QTIS 2YO handicap over 900m at the Gold Coast by 2.25 lengths on 8 May, then was an easy winner of another QTIS 2YO handicap at the Gold Coast by 1.75 lengths on 22 May. This is a tougher race but you can’t knock the winning form.

6. Thunder Mania

Trained on the Sunshine Coast, this Snitzel colt has won his last 2 starts there with a 0.5 length win over 1200m on 29 April and a 0.2 length win over 1400m on 15 May. This is much harder but he is one of only 4 runners that have a win at the distance which may help.

7. Spokesman

One of 3 runners from the Chris Waller stable, this colt is a son of Press Statement who won this race in 2015. He won races over 1200m at Canterbury Park then 1300m at Warwick Farm and then finished 7.5 lengths 8th in the Group 3 Ken Russell 2YO Plate at the Gold Coast after jumping awkwardly. He needs to improve a lot from that last run.

8. Saffiano

Another Waller runner, this colt won the Clarendon Stakes by 0.2 lengths over 1400m at Rosehill on 25 April, then didn’t handle the drop back in distance when 6.8 lengths 7th in the Ken Russell 2YO Plate over 1200m at the Gold Coast on 16 May. He should improve back to 1400m.

9. Way Beyond

A rank outsider in the field this colt is still a maiden after 6 starts, but has placed 4 times. He followed 5.9 lengths 6th over 1000m at Sunshine Coast on 20 May with 0.1 length 2nd over 1300m at Sunshine Coast on 29 May. Is very unlikely to be in the placings here.

10. Tick Tock Boom

This Spirit Of Boom colt ran 2nd in the Group 3 Ken Russell 2YO Plate at the Gold Coast on 16 May before winning a maiden plate by 2 lengths over 1200m at Sunshine Coast on 29 May. He looks to be on the improve and could be one for the exotics.

11. Overlord

Drawing next to the outside barrier in this capacity field have not helped the chances of this Sebring colt who has 3 places from 3 starts.He finished 1.8 lengths 2nd over 1200m at Randwick on 9 May Where he ran the best 800m-400m sectionals of the day at distance, then was 4 lengths 2nd over 1300m at Randwick on 23 May where he also ran the best 800m-400m race sectional. He should storm home in the straight and could place.

12. Superare

This Exceed And Excel colt has drawn the inside barrier. He placed in the Ken Russell 2YO  Plate at Gold XCoast on 16 May, before winning over 1300m at the Sunshine Coast on 29 May to give him his 2nd win from 4 starts. This is much harder.

13. Gotta Kiss

She is one of six fillies in the race and has 3 wins and 3 places from 7 starts. She won by 0.3 lengths over 1110m at Doomben on 9 May, then was held up before running on for 0.2 length, 0.3 length 3rd in the Listed Bill Carter 2YO fillies plate over 1110m at Doomben on 30 May. She has ability but the 1400m is a query.

14. Macroura

This filly is the only runner in the field who is unbeaten and has drawn nicely in barrier 2. If she wins, she will be the first filly to win since Linky Dink in 2009. After winning her maiden at Kembla Grange she won by 0.2 lengths over 1000m at Kensington on 2 May, then came away to win the Listed Woodland Stakes by 1.5 lengths over 1100m at Rosehill on 16 May where she ran the best overall race sectionals. She steps up to 1400m for the first time but her mother was a Zabeel mare that won over 1600m so her breeding suggests that distance will be no problem. She is capable of winning and I fully expect her to be in the finish.

15. Cosmic Gossip

She struggled with the distance when 6.95 lengths 6th over 1400m at Eagle Farm on 21 March, bu then resumed after 9 weeks with a 0.2 length win over 1200m at Eagle Farm on 23 May. Not the worst but has a wide barrier to contend with.

16. Minjee

She won two races at Doomben then was 6 lengths 6th in the Group 3 Ken Russell 2YO Plate on 16 May, then 2.35 lengths 7th in the Listed Bill Carter 2YO fillies Plate on 30 May. She has drawn the outside barrier and will find this field too tough.

17. Isotope

This lovely filly won her first start at Doomben by 10 lengths before going on to win her next start by 2.3 lengths over 1000m at Sunshine Coast on 25 April. At her third and latest start she jumped awkwardly and chased home Rothfire for 2nd in the Group 2 Champagne Classic 2YO Plate over 1200m at Eagle Farm on 23 May. She will be highly competitive again and should figure in the finish.

18. Starosa

She has 2 wins over 1350m at Doomben which suggests the distance will not be an issue for. At her latest run she finished 1.5 lengths 4th over 1400m at Sunshine Coast on 15 May. Not the worst.

19. See Marie – 1st Emergency

This filly won over 1400m at the Sunshine Coast on 15 April and has placed at both races since but this is much tougher than the fields she normally races in and it looks beyond her.

20. Sea Boss – 2nd Emergency

After 4 starts this filly is still a maiden and her best performance was 3rd over 1100m at Scone. Not here.

The following are the top 4 selections for this years race.

Jo’s Tips
1 Rothfire
14 Macroura
17 Isotope
3 Wisdom Of Water