All the excitement leading into the Group 1 J.J. Atkins orbited around Broadsiding, and the star juvenile delivered with a dominant 4 ¼ length victory under James McDonald, who rode four winners across the program to go with his five last week. 

Broadsiding dominated his rivals in the Group 1 J.J. Atkins
Broadsiding added a second Group 1 to his record with victory in the J.J. Atkins (Photo by Jeremy Ng/Getty Images)

The race appeared all over bar the shouting at the 200-metre pole, with McDonald saluting a rapturous Eagle Farm crowd some 25 metres before crossing the finish line. 

Broadsiding, who claimed the Group 1 Champagne Stakes in April, has now won his last four starts, emerging as a key player for the title of top two-year-old for season 2023/24.

He has been the banner horse in the southern hemisphere for Too Darn Hot, who has produced 12 winners from 33 runners in Australia in his first crop. His dozen winners have helped propel him to the highest earning first-season sire in Australian racing history, with some six weeks still to go in the season.

Stefi Magnetica joined her dam Mid Summer Music as a winner of the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap, repelling Bella Nipotina in a driving finish to the winning post.

Apprentice Zac Lloyd conserved ground early in the straight, while Craig Williams and Bella Nipotina made their charge down the centre of the course, setting up a grandstand finish to the famous Queensland handicap.

Stefi Magnetica is the 25th individual black-type winner for All Too Hard, of which five have emerged victorious at Group 1 level.

Trainer Bjorn Baker enjoyed a memorable day at Eagle Farm, with Stefi Magnetica the second leg of a double started by Alegron in the Group 2 Brisbane Cup earlier in the meeting.

Ridden conservatively by another apprentice, this time Dylan Gibbons, the gelding emphasised his staying prowess at the end of the 3200-metre contest, surging down the outside to record his biggest career win to date.

The three-time Group 1 placegetter was bought by Baker from Godolphin in November 2023 for $40,000, a cost he almost recouped entirely with his second-placed finish in the Group 3 Premier’s Cup a fortnight ago. 

Already a winner of the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes and the Listed VRC St Leger, Alegron is one of 115 individual stakes winners for Teofilo.  

Annabel Neasham also accrued a double across the day at Eagle Farm, headlined by her imported stayer Fawkner Park, who recorded an impressive victory in the Group 2 Q22. 

The five-year-old has been prominent in this preparation, winning the Listed Albury Gold Cup and the Listed Wagga Wagga Gold Cup, with his Q22 success his first at Group level.

Fawkner Park is one of 62 stakes winners for Zoffany. 

Earlier in the meeting, Neasham’s promising juvenile Megastar Heart denied Embassy in the Listed Oxlade Stakes, one of the aforementioned four victories in the saddle for jockey James McDonald. 

Having finished eighth in the Group 2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes, the colt bounced back to claim his first black-type success.

He is the eighth stakes winner for Star Turn, who has produced the Group 1-winning mare Startantes and talented exports Cordyceps Six and Golden Monkey. 

In the Group 2 Dane Ripper Stakes, C’est Magique provided new owners Coolmore Australia with instant success, bounding away from her rivals for James McDonald and new trainer Chris Waller.

Purchased by Coolmore for $1.7 million at the recent 2024 Inglis Chairman’s Sale, the daughter of Zoustar picked up her first win in stakes grade, following five placings across her 14 career starts. 

She is the half-sister to emerging stallion Written By, who won the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes and has produced promising sprinters Straight Charge and Ripcord.

C'est Magique will now progress on to the Group 1 Tatts Tiara in pursuit of a victory at the highest level. 

Another recently transacted mare, Willinga Beast, debuted for new owners Arrowfield Stud with a victory, finishing strongly in the Listed Mark Hinkler Handicap.

Purchased at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Broodmare Sale for $675,000, the four-year-old stayed out of trouble at the tip of the field, while race favourite Pereille was searching for a run back in the ruck. 

By Arrowfield’s Snitzel, Willinga Beast had thrice placed in black-type company previously before her breakthrough at Eagle Farm. 

Let's Galahvant went one better than his narrow last-start defeat to deny raging favourite Western Empire in the Group 3 Strickland Stakes at Belmont.

The five-year-old gelding is the sole stakes winner for his sire, Galah.

Bases Loaded had to work to find the front in the Group 3 Gunsynd Classic, but he never relinquished it once there, showing typical Tulloch Lodge toughness to take out the 1600-metre event.

By Deep Field, Bases Loaded earned his first black-type victory with his sustained effort, becoming the 31st individual stakes winner for his sire. 

Another Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained galloper, this time Sir Lucan, chalked up a victory across the day, with the six-year-old dashing clear to win the Listed Winter Cup at Rosehill.

Imported to Australia as a Listed winner prior to the 2021 Melbourne Cup, Sir Lucan has picked up three wins in the southern hemisphere, two of which have come at Listed level.

He is another son of Camelot to enjoy success in Australian racing, who has produced the likes of Sir Dragonet, Russian Camelot and King Of Leogrance. 

Freedom Rally narrowly missed a start in the Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm, but he was able to secure a handy consolation prize, grinding home under James McDonald to win The Wayne Wilson at Listed level.

Already a winner of six races in 14 career starts, his win gives him a maiden success in black-type company.

He is one of 13 stakes winners produced to date by Rubick.

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