Trainer Tony Gollan will like to see his two year old Garibaldi settle behind the pace after drawing an inside barrier in the Group 1 $600,000 Magic Millions J.J. Atkins Plate (1600m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Accession, above, is the favourite for the 2019 J.J. Atkins Plate at Eagle Farm. Photo by Steve Hart.
Brisbane’s premier jockey Jeff Lloyd found himself dictating the pace last start when Garibaldi pulled himself to the front in the first 100m in the Group 2 $400,000 Kirin Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Eagle Farm a fortnight ago.
Garibaldi didn’t shirk his task in the straight and fought hard to the line before being overhauled by Strasbourg and Accession and winding up in third position.
Damien Oliver takes over the reins from Lloyd and Gollan will instruct the leading Group 1 rider to have Garibaldi settled behind the leaders from barrier three in the fifteen horse field.
“Garibaldi led in the Sires’ and fought on well to be a close-up third,” Gollan told AAP.
“But I don’t think that is his go. He should be able to get cover from barrier three and he does have a big finish when ridden that way.
“We have got Damien Oliver to ride and no-one is in better form.”
Garibaldi has firmed slightly in the pre-post betting for the J.J. Atkins Plate and is now marked at $17 with Ladbrokes.com.au after $20 was on offer when the final field was released on Wednesday.
The Chris Waller trained Accession holds a slight advantage at the top of the betting at $3.70 just ahead of Anthony Cummings’ Prince Fawaz at $4.40, Strasbourg at $5 and the favourite’s stablemate Reloaded at $5.50.
The post Garibaldi to take a sit in 2019 J.J. Atkins Plate appeared first on HorseRacing.com.au.
