Group 1 JJ Atkins contender Torque To Be Sure was flying blind in lead-up

It will surely help Group 1 JJ Atkins contender Torque To Be Sure that he will actually be able to see where he is going in the big race on Saturday, after having major issues the last time he raced.

It certainly helps if a horse can see where he is going and Matt Dunn has revealed his Group 1 JJ Atkins contender Torque To Be Sure was flying blind in his lead-up run.

Dunn was considering scratching his two-year-old colt from the $1m Group 2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) last month when the Eagle Farm track deteriorated to a heavy 10.

Things got worse and the races were called off after the Sires’ but Dunn is glad he raced the colt, who turned in an eye-catching effort when surging home to finish fifth behind Cool Archie.

Murwillumbah-based Dunn, searching for his first Group 1 as a trainer, said the run was even better than it looked as the young colt had no idea where he was going.

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“The jockey said he couldn’t see, so I would assume the horse probably couldn’t see either,” Dunn said.

“The horse didn’t have any goggles on his head like the jockey did, so he is probably in a worse spot than the jockey.

“The horse took the brunt of the kickback and the conditions that day, especially considering he was in a horrible spot two lengths behind the second last horse during the race.

“I was worried about the wet track, but he handled it well.

“I’m sure that watching the race if you were looking for something going to a mile (of the JJ Atkins) next start, he was the pick.

“He was out the back door getting hit in the head by kickback and couldn’t see where he was going but he still launched late.”

A barnstorming win by Cool Archie in the G2 BRC Sires' Produce Stakes, and that's four in a row to the @munceracing galloper! 🙌@BrisRacingClubpic.twitter.com/lIjGc5tTiN

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 31, 2025

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Torque To Be Sure is raced by Ian Corazzol and it would be an emotion-charged moment at Eagle Farm on Saturday if the colt could salute.

Not only would it be Dunn’s first Group 1 win but it would also be a tribute to Corazzol’s late wife Sherryl who passed away this year after a cancer battle.

Incredibly, given the young colt’s talent, he remains a maiden after five starts.

He has raced in elite company for all of his two-year-old season, but it would be some moment if Dunn’s first Group 1 win came with a maiden horse.

Ian and the late Sherryl Corazzol. Picture: Supplied

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“I wish he wasn’t a maiden, but he shouldn’t be, should he?” Dunn said.

“In reality, he has run well enough to have won probably three of his starts.

“Because of the path we have taken with him, we have been forced to race him against better quality horses right through.

“It would have been lovely to take him to a maiden plate in the northern rivers and just let him blow them away.

“If he could win on Saturday it would be enormous for Ian (Corazzol) who has been a huge supporter of mine.

“His wife passed away six weeks ago and that was a really difficult experience for him.

“If this horse could win, he would be stoked and it would lift him, for sure.”

Torque To Be Sure has a major jockey booking with two-time Melbourne Cup champion and 35-time Group 1 winner Mark Zahra on board for the JJ Atkins.

Torque To Be Sure has drawn barrier 10 and is a $21 chance in latest betting markets which have Queensland colt Cool Archie as the $3.70 favourite.

Originally published as Group 1 JJ Atkins contender Torque To Be Sure was flying blind in lead-up