Australian Racing: Archie to keep his Cool at Eagle Farm

While there’s plenty of racing action for punters to get stuck into on Saturday, all eyes will be on Brisbane, with Eagle Farm set to stage two Group 1 races.

Race 8 Eagle Farm

Golden Mile @ 9.00

Race 6 Eagle Farm

Cool Archie @ 4.00

Race 8 Rosehill

Touristic @ 4.40

Golden Mile to take Stradbroke

The most valuable race on the Eagle Farm card is the eighth race of the day, The Star Stradbroke Handicap, a 1400m Group 1 contest.

A soft 5 track is expected for the race, with the New Zealand-bred War Machine expected to jump as favourite.

The four-year-old starts this prep following up a Benchmark 100 handicap win at Caulfield with a Group 3 success at Doomben. 

The gelding won by over two-and-a-half-lengths in that Group 3 contest, the BRC Sprint over 1350m last month.

While all three of the son of Harry Angel’s efforts this prep have come on good going, he broke his maiden on soft at Kyneton in March last year and has placed on soft since.

Ben, Will & JD Hayes’ representative has a wide barrier here however and GOLDEN MILE is preferred for James Cummings.

The Astern gelding has won five times and, while you have to go back to September 2023 to find his most recent win, he has been in good form so far this prep.

Golden Mile has placed third at this track in each of his last two starts, including when narrowly beaten in the 1300m Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup here last weekend.

The five-year-old jumped from barrier 10 when jumping at $26 for that contest and the extra 100m he tackles here is no problem.

Prior to the Kingsford Smith Cup, Golden Mile had placed third in the Group 2 Victory Stakes over 1200m at this venue when jumping from widest of all in a 16-horse field.

Jason Collett, on board last time, is again set to ride here and with forecast underfoot conditions to suit, he looks up to registering a big race win on Godolphin’s gelding.

Archie for J.J. Atkins success

The first of the two Group 1 races at Eagle Farm comes up as the sixth race of the day, the J.J. Atkins, a 1600m contest restricted to two-year-olds. 

Chris Waller’s Hidden Achievement is expected to have his supporters, stepping up in class on just his fourth career start.

This colt broke through for his first win when successful by over half-a-length on soft going in a 1200m event at Gosford last month.

The son of I Am Invincible went to place third on his first attempt at 1300m when racing on a heavy surface at Rosehill two weeks ago.

While James McDonald’s mount remains open to improvement, he meets an in-form rival in COOL ARCHIE who has won all four starts this prep.

All four of those victories have come in Brisbane, including in a 1200m Group 2 held on heavy ground at Doomben on his penultimate outing.

The Cool Aza Beel colt backed that up with an impressive victory by nearly three lengths in the Group 2 Sires’ Produce Stakes at this venue two weeks ago.

Cool Archie again raced on a heavy track there and the quicker going expected here is no problem, with the colt having won on good going in Listed company three starts back.

Regular rider Martin Harley, on board for all bar the selection’s debut effort is again set to ride, with his mount set to jump from barrier nine.

Chris & Corey Munce’s youngster shapes as if the extra distance here will suit and he looks up to continuing his winning run. 

Touristic for Listed glory

Last year's winner Sir Lucan is among the field for Rosehill’s Listed Winter Cup, which is set to take place over 2400m as the eighth race on a 10-race card.

Preference is for TOURISTIC here however, with the gelding having registered some good efforts in Listed and Group company this prep, prior to saluting here two weeks ago.

Touristic came home over two lengths clear of his rivals when contesting the 2000m Listed Lord Mayors Cup held on a heavy 8 track at this venue. 

The son of Frankel raced from mid-division prior to delivering an impressive victory that day, having finished a good fourth over 2100m in a Gosford Listed event prior.

Peter Snowden’s representative is seeking his third win at this track and, with the extra distance unlikely to pose an issue, he looks up to completing a double.