Converge is tipped to turn the tables on his last start conqueror and post a Group 1 win over the mile heading Saturday’s JJ Atkins 2021 betting markets for Stradbroke Day.
Converge is one of the best fancied two-year-olds in Saturday’s 2021 J. J. Atkins field in Brisbane. Photo: Steve Hart.
One of the key acts on the Eagle Farm race card this weekend, the Group 1 $1 million Treasury Brisbane J.J. Atkins (1600m) has drawn a final field of 14 two-year-olds.
Sitting top of the latest JJ Atkins odds at $3.60 through Ladbrokes.com.au following a gun barrier five draw is the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Frankel gelding Converge.
Already proven at the distance having won the Listed Fernhill Handicap (1600m) in Sydney back in April, Converge was also good when third in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) next-up at Randwick.
He had his first run since on May 29 in Eagle Farm’s Group 2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) when only a neck off the winner, and looks a huge hope to go one better getting out over a furlong further in Saturday’s grand final.
Co-trainer Waterhouse chases her third JJ Atkins victory since 2012 having prepared Romantic Touch (2013) and Almalad (2014) for back-to-back wins earlier this decade.
The BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner, Tiger Of Malay, is also backing-up in the JJ Atkins field looking to do the double for the first time since Sizzling (2012).
The Richard & Michael Freedman-trained Extreme Choice colt will need to be good going up to the 1600m in the JJ Atkins after scoring the upset at 20/1 last time out.
Jockey Craig Williams retains the ride, Tiger Of Malay at a much shorter quote of $6 in the current JJ Atkins odds to overcome a wide barrier 11 draw.
The other best in betting at $4.60 is Port Louis, also a graduate out of the BRC Sires’ having placed third in the key lead-up race.
Port Louis is drawn wide for the rematch out in gate 13 with Hugh Bowman continuing his solid association on the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Maurice colt who is out to break his maiden status at career start number five.
Of the double-figure fancies the Chris Waller-trained Ranch Hand ($12) out to atone for a luckless BRC Sires’ run, his undefeated stablemate Cape Breton ($15) making his Black-Type debut and Bjorn Baker’s fellow in-form Vancouver colt Over ($15) are considered the most likely to score an upset JJ Atkins result.
Click here for the latest JJ Atkins 2021 betting odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.
2021 JJ Atkins Field & Barrier Draw
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Probable Weight | Penalty | H Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1×52751 | TIGER OF MALAY | Richard & Michael Freedman | Craig Williams | 11 | 57kg | |||
| 2 | 1×62132 | CONVERGE | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 5 | 57kg | |||
| 3 | 313×5318 | SUBTERRANEAN | Matthew Dunn | Nash Rawiller | 4 | 57kg | |||
| 4 | 21114 | OVER | Bjorn Baker | Joshua Parr | 3 | 57kg | |||
| 5 | 3253 | PORT LOUIS | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Hugh Bowman | 13 | 57kg | |||
| 6 | 18×21 | VOLCANIC ROCK | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Opie Bosson | 6 | 57kg | |||
| 7 | 135×20 | RANCH HAND | Chris Waller | 2 | 57kg | ||||
| 8 | 8321 | BLUSHING TYCOON | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Jye McNeil | 12 | 57kg | |||
| 9 | 4×421 | OVERMANN | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Tommy Berry | 7 | 57kg | |||
| 10 | 11 | CAPE BRETON | Chris Waller | 10 | 57kg | ||||
| 11 | 53×75 | GIANNIS | Chris Waller | 8 | 57kg | ||||
| 12 | 10 | DARK REBEL | Edward Cummings | Ben Thompson | 1 | 57kg | |||
| 13 | 273 | THREE WISE MEN | Edward Cummings | Jim Byrne | 9 | 57kg | |||
| 14 | 42×229 | INVINSIBLE TEARS | Gillian Heinrich | Michael Cahill | 14 | 55kg |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
