McDonald ignores bullish push and sticks with Atkins favourite

Champion jockey James McDonald has put his judgement on the line in opting to stick with last start winner Tron Bolt over stablemate and luckless Sires’ Produce Stakes runner Stormy Marco in the J J Atkins at Eagle Farm.

Trainer Chris Waller revealed McDonald’s brother-in-law, jockey Andrew Mallyon, partnered Stormy Marco in a trackwork gallop this week and came away bullish about his chances, but McDonald remained adamant Tron Bolt was his Atkins horse.

“He (Stormy Marco) galloped well Tuesday morning. Andrew Mallyon rode him and said he’ll be very, very hard to beat,” Waller said.

“I told that to James and he said, ‘No, I’ll still ride Tron Bolt’.”

“Both horses have worked well. Stormy Marco was very unlucky the other day in the Sires’. We will learn a lot about them. Trouble free runs and hopefully they’ll be right in the finish.”

Stormy Marco finished eighth in the Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) when he was knocked around like a dodgem car in the straight, continually squeezed out of narrow gaps and unable to find clear running.

Tron Bolt was an emphatic winner in Sydney on the same afternoon after Waller opted not to run from a wide draw in Brisbane.

In hindsight, the trainer admits that might prove a significant call.

“He is going into the race full of confidence whereas Stormy Marco did run in the Sires’ Produce and had no luck,” Waller said.

“Going into a good race like that, especially with a baby, you like to have them in a bit of form.”

McDonald currently shares the national riding record for most Australian Group 1 wins in a season with Malcolm Johnston, who rode 16 in 1979-80, and if he is successful on either Tron Bolt or his Stradbroke Handicap mount Fangirl, he will establish a new mark at Eagle Farm.

Tron Bolt is a $2.20 pre-post favourite for the J J Atkins (1600m), with Stormy Marco at $11 while Waller’s other runner, Glenorchy, splits the pair at $7.50.

Glenorchy is backing up from his second in The Phoenix (1500m) last Saturday after finishing a sound fifth on debut at Randwick last month.

He has the outside gate in 13 but if he can get luck from the draw, Waller expects him to be in the prizemoney.

“He hasn’t drawn very well, that’s a negative, but outside the top four or five the field drops away a bit, so I think he’ll run well,” he said.