Zebra Finch could earn his J.J. Atkins stripes

James Cummings knows what it takes to win the G1 J.J. Atkins Stakes over 1,600m, that’s why he’s pinning his faith in lightly raced colt Zebra Finch in Saturday’s two-year-old feature at Eagle Farm.

A strong Rosehill Gardens juvenile winner on 31 May over 1,300m, Zebra Finch goes into the big race in his first preparation after just three starts.

Cummings won the J.J. Atkins with outstanding youngster Broadsiding last year and, while Zebra Finch doesn’t boast his former stablemate’s credentials 12 months later, the son of champion two-year-old sire Exceed And Excel is improving with every start and has again drawn perfectly in barrier one.

Kerrin McEvoy parked Zebra Finch outside the lead from the same gate at Rosehill before beating Zoutanium and Hidden Achievement on a testing track rated a Heavy 9.

That effort convinced the outgoing Godolphin Australia head trainer that Zebra Finch will run out a strong mile on a surface expected to be no worse than a Soft 5.

Golden Mile came within a head of winning the G1 Kingsford Smith Cup at Eagle Farm last Saturday after jumping from the outside barrier and challenging the early leader Zarastro until Joliestar had the last say.

This time the former Caulfield Guineas winner has drawn favourably in gate two and drops 5.5kg in the G1 Stradbroke Handicap.

The rise from 1,300m to 1,400m should not be a worry and Golden Mile, must have pulled up well and pleased the Cummings stable this week.

Jason Collett retains the ride and he can have the five-year-old in the box seat with an even getaway.

Golden Mile appears most effective with slight give in the track and the Soft 5 conditions look made to order as Cummings tries to win his second Stradbroke following Trekking’s triumph in 2019.

Pisces was ridden more conservatively in the G3 Fred Best over 1,350m at Doomben on 4 June before charging home from 13th at the 400m pole to be beaten half-a-length into third place by Spicy Martini and Media World.

McEvoy takes the reins from Michael Rodd in the G3 Gunsynd Classic. The three-year-old is now rock-hard fit after five runs this preparation and is again likely to be given time to find his feet early in the race.

At Rosehill Gardens, Cummings will be represented by Crocodile (Adam Hyeronimus), Snack Bar (Braith Nock) and Drift Net (Ben Osmond) in support races.

Crocodile is his most interesting runner in the opening event, with the son of Godolphin’s former world champion galloper Ghaiyyath a brilliant last-start Hawkesbury two-year-old winner over today’s 1,400m at just his second race start.

Demarcate scored on debut in a Ballarat maiden on 25 May and will carry Dean Yendall in the two-year-old handicap over 1,000m at Sandown.