Cool ‘as a cucumber’ Archie aims at G1 JJ Atkins Stakes

Cool Archie will attempt to complete a remarkable juvenile season with victory in the Group 1 JJ Atkins Stakes (1600m) at Eagle Farm, a win that would stretch his current streak to five in a row.

Since Corey Munce became a co-trainer with his father Chris last August, the pair have seen their fortunes rise, especially with Cool Archie, who has already taken out the Group 2 Spirit Of Boom Classic (1200m) and Group 2 BRC Sires Produce (1400m).

His emphatic win in the Sires, where he came from the back to score by 2.8 lengths, has given the stable every confidence ahead of his first try over the mile.

“He’s cool as a cucumber,” Munce said.

“He’s come through the run pretty well. He was a little tired Sunday, but he’s rebounded off the run as well as we’d like.

“Considering the run he had, he’s done a really good job.”

Cool Archie is by Cool Aza Beel, a first-season sire and son of Savabeel, and appears ready for the distance rise.

“Zero problems there, and he’s probably almost run a mile with the work he’s done so no concerns in that regard,” Munce said.

“The blinkers will remain off, and you know gee whiz, he’s a versatile little horse; he can be ridden very cold, he can be up there, and he can be midfield or better, so he’s a very versatile and honest horse.”

Drawn in barrier 9 of 17, Cool Archie is expected to adapt to the tempo, and Munce believes he's still getting better.

“We wouldn’t have run him in the Magic Millions in January as a maidener for nothing,” Munce said.

“He was wide throughout that run, and I think with a better barrier draw, the old cliche, he certainly finishes a lot closer.

“After the summer carnival, he only had about four or five weeks out and come straight back to attack the winter.

“He was one that just kept improving.”

Should he prevail, Cool Archie would join an elite list of horses to complete the Sires/Atkins double, most recently achieved by Broadsiding.

Bookies have him marked as the $3.50 favourite, narrowly ahead of Chris Waller’s Hidden Achievement, who is at $4.80 and will jump from barrier six.

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