Broadsiding proves too darn good in JJ Atkins romp
Champion Two-Year-Old honours now look at the mercy of Too Darn Hot (Dubawi) colt Broadsiding after he produced a devastating performance to cruise to success in Saturday’s JJ Atkins Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) at Eagle Farm.
Having become his sire’s first Group 1 winner in the southern hemisphere, and second globally, when landing Randwick’s Champagne Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) in April, the Godolphin homebred took his form to even further heights on Saturday.
Sent off the $1.60 hot favourite for Saturday’s Group 1, having returned from a month break with a comfortable victory in the BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr 2, 1400m) on June 1, Broadsiding travelled ominously well under James McDonald rounding the home bend.
Picking up the lead inside the final 300 metres, the James Cummings-trained juvenile shot clear when asked by his champion rider, effortlessly drawing away from his toiling rivals before eventually coming home an eased-down winner, defeating Bittercreek (Snitzel) by 4.3 lengths with 0.1 lengths back to Bosustow (Blue Point) in third.
“He’s such a good colt, so he certainly deserved his chance but great credit to the team who have managed through a big campaign,” Cummings said.
“The only real doubt throughout the week for some was a dry track or perhaps even a long prep but I’ve got such a good team that I’ve been able to keep fit and healthy, well, growing, and loving his training.
“He paraded like a thriving colt, and he got the big salute there from James McDonald. He sort of had that feel about perhaps being the best two-year-old in the country this season. He’s just been so good.
“He’s what you love to look for in a two-year-old, and yet he’s got that dynamic motor, the way he cruised up into that race was effortless, and James just rode him like he was the best horse in the race – he was full of confidence in the horse.”
His Champagne Stakes triumph almost certainly secured his spot on Darley’s stallion roster once his racing career comes to a close, but Cummings confirmed that Saturday’s victory means Broadsiding’s future as a stallion is now cemented.
“He’s been a horse that has been able to keep improving and being by Too Darn Hot out of a Street Cry mare, he’s got his future well and truly assured on the roster at Darley,” he said.
McDonald, who was afforded the luxury of saluting the crowd inside the final 50 metres, feels Saturday’s win was enough to confirm Broadsiding as the champion juvenile in Australia this season.
“Champion two-year-old that one,” McDonald, who was riding his first Group 1 winner since landing Tokyo’s Yasuda Kinen (Gr 1, 2400m) aboard 2023 Cox Plate (Gr 1, 2040m) hero Romantic Warrior (Acclamation) on June 2, said.
“I’ve had enough practices being in behind today, I thought I better let that one go. I thought we executed the gallop beautifully.
“He’s a ball of muscle. He knows he’s really good. He’s a character, but James (Cummings) has done a phenomenal job. I can’t stress how good a job he’s done, to be fair.
“He keeps raising the bar but he’s got a good colt on his hands. He’s special. He is a fair dinkum two-year-old and he will get stronger as he gets older. It is a pleasure to ride him.”
The colt is the sole runner from two live foals out of the Street Cry (Machiavellian) mare Speedway, who made 11 starts for three Godolphin trainers, John O’Shea, Darren Beadman and James Cummings, for two wins and a further three placings.
Speedway, who died in 2022, is a half-sister to Flit (Lonhro), winner of Thousand Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m), Light Fingers Stakes (Gr 1, 1200m), and VRC Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 3, 1200m) during a 21-start career for Cummings.
Broadsiding’s (2 c Too Darn Hot – Speedway by Street Cry) JJ Atkins success sees the Darley shuttler Too Darn Hot sit secure an unassailable lead in the race to be crowned Australia’s Champion First-Season Sire and he now sits $1,600,865 ahead of current second-placed stallion Tassort (Brazen Beau). He also sits second in the two-year-old sires table, a total of $1,114,325 behind Yulong’s flagship sire Written Tycoon (Iglesia).
Too Darn Hot has stood for four consecutive seasons at Darley’s Kelvinside farm at $44,000 (inc GST), but after his scorching start in the southern hemisphere, with Broadsiding one of 12 individual winners for the stallion, the son of Dubawi (Dubai Millennium) was subject to major fee hike and will command a fee of $110,000 in 2024.
The Champion European colt, who had second-top lot at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in January courtesy of his $1.9 million colt from A Time For Julia (Redoute’s Choice), has nine stakes winners and 59 winners from 136 runners worldwide.