Champion jockey James McDonald has confirmed he will ride Tron Bolt in the A$1 million Group 1 JJ Atkins for two-year-olds over 1,600 meters at Eagle Farm on June 13, despite advice from his inner circle to consider Stormy Marco instead [1, 2].
Trainer Chris Waller revealed that Andrew Mallyon, McDonald’s brother-in-law, rode Stormy Marco at trackwork and was very confident about the colt’s chances. "Andrew Mallyon rode him and said he’ll be very, very hard to beat. I told that to James and he said, ‘No, I’ll still ride Tron Bolt’," Waller said [1].
Stormy Marco struggled in the recent Group 2 Sires’ Produce Stakes (1,400m) at Eagle Farm on May 30, finishing eighth after encountering traffic problems in the straight [1, 2]. Meanwhile, Tron Bolt won a 1,300m race in Sydney on the same day under apprentice jockey Siena Grima and did not race in Brisbane [1, 2].
Waller described Tron Bolt as entering the JJ Atkins "full of confidence," while noting Stormy Marco "had no luck" in the Sires’ Produce. He added, "Going into a good race like that, especially with a baby, you like to have them in a bit of form" [1].
Pre-post betting markets list Tron Bolt as the 6-5 favorite for the JJ Atkins. Stormy Marco is priced at 10-1 with Nash Rawiller named to ride, while Glenorchy is offered at 13-2. Glenorchy is also contesting the JJ Atkins after backing up from a second-place finish behind Voynichese in the Listed The Phoenix (1,500m) at Eagle Farm [1, 2].
James McDonald currently holds the national record for most Australian Group 1 wins in a season, tied with Malcolm Johnston’s 16 victories from 1979-80 [1, 2]. If McDonald wins aboard Tron Bolt or his Stradbroke Handicap mount Fangirl during the Eagle Farm meeting, he will set a new record at the venue [1, 2].