James Cummings declares sky’s the limit for Broadsiding ahead of JJ Atkins: ‘Bit of a weapon’

Broadsiding is long odds-on to grab his second Group 1 in the JJ Atkins at Eagle Farm on Saturday, with Godolphin set to consider races like the Cox Plate for the rising star colt.

Top colt Broadsiding has earned the right to be discussed among some of Australia’s best, his trainer James Cummings believes as he looks to cap off a perfect Queensland campaign with victory in the Group 1 JJ Atkins (1600m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

The Godolphin galloper has emerged as one of the country’s premier juveniles and will start a long odds-on favourite in the $1m feature on Saturday, as Cummings looks to complete a Stradbroke Handicap-JJ Atkins double.

Big time races such as the Cox Plate could be in store for Broadsiding as a three-year-old, however, Cummings wants to see him past the post on Saturday before making any premature declarations about his future.

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“He has earned the right to be talking about those top races, we will knuckle down with a firmer plan once we get him in the paddock for a few weeks back home,” Cummings said.

What a win! 😱

Broadsiding takes out the BRC Sires' Produce. @[e-mail]/YzWPAA9Wht

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) June 1, 2024

“The Cox Plate is a possibility, it’s easy to get carried away with those races, so we are going to focus on the two-year-old campaign for now and worry about it when it comes around.”

Cummings and Godolphin went as close as you can to winning a Cox Plate with Anamoe when he was a three-year-old, before coming back as a four-year-old for redemption.

With Anamoe now at stud, Cummings said Broadsiding had shown the class at two to announce himself at the top level.

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Broadsiding will be the shortest-priced G1 favourite of the winter. Picture: Grant Peters — Trackside Photography.

With James McDonald replacing Jamie Kah on Saturday, he is $1.70 with TAB to win, with the expectation he could start even shorter.

After breaking his maiden in April, Broadsiding has gone on to win the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) along with the Group 2 BRC Sires’ Produce (1400m) a fortnight ago.

“I think he is a very good two-year-old, it is a good opportunity for him to show that again in the JJ Atkins,” Cummings said.

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“He has relished training and his racing since we got him up to a mile, his first victory was in the (Listed) Fernhill Handicap over the mile and he loved the trip that day.

“The Champagne was a high-class race and he showed that by overcoming difficulties to win the Sires’ (a fortnight ago), not many two-year-olds overcome those difficulties to do what he did.

“He was a bit of a weapon that day and he should arrive in the JJ in top form.”

Broadsiding will look to be the shortest-priced winner of the race since Sizzling ($1.60) in 2012.

LATE CHARGE FOR CHAMPION 2YO HONOURS

By Ray Thomas

Broadsiding is making a late-season charge to claim Champion Two-year-old honours.

The boom colt can certainly put himself into the frame if he wins a second Group 1 in the JJ Atkins (1600m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

The two-year-old Group 1 races have been evenly shared so far this season with Lady Of Camelot winning the Golden Slipper, Hayasugi took out the Blue Diamond, and Manaal won the Inglis Sires before she ran fourth in Broadsiding’s Champagne Stakes.

If Broadsiding can complete the Champagne Stakes-JJ Atkins double, he will be only the second horse to achieve the feat after the legendary Luskin Star in 1977.

Remarkably, Luskin Star won five Group 1 races as two-year-olds – he made a clean sweep of the coveted Sydney triple crown then won the QTC (now BRC) Sires Produce Stakes and Marlboro (now JJ Atkins) Stakes.

TOO DARN HOT has G1 winners in both hemispheres from his first crop 🔥

BROADSIDING becomes his first Australian G1 winner, landing the Champagne Stakes (1600m) at a very wet Randwick for @JamesCummings88@mcacajamez@godolphin! 💙pic.twitter.com/nVIkcyUBv1

— World Horse Racing (@WHR) April 20, 2024

Lady Of Camelot is the early top pick for Champion Two-year-old after her Golden Slipper win and close second in the Blue Diamond.

But Broadsiding has been the big improver late in the season reeling off wins in the Fernhill Handicap, Champagne Stakes and BRC Sires.

If Broadsiding can make it four wins in succession and claim a second Group 1 in the JJ Atkins, he will make a compelling case for the top juvenile award.

Champion jockey James McDonald rides the Godolphin colt as he strives for a 19th Group 1 win this season. He’s already won 13 majors in Australia plus four in Hong Kong and one in Japan.

Cummings saddles up the favourite in both Group 1 races on Saturday with Vilana (jockey Tim Clark) into $5 for the $3 million Stradbroke Handicap (1400m).

Originally published as James Cummings declares sky’s the limit for Broadsiding ahead of JJ Atkins: ‘Bit of a weapon’