The key race for two-year-olds of the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival is Saturday’s 2016 JJ Atkins, a full form guide preview and betting analysis for the mile classic at Eagle Farm detailed below.

BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Attention shoots for the double in Saturday’s 2016 JJ Atkins at Eagle Farm Racecourse. Photo: Daniel Costello.

Running as the first of four elite levels on the extended Stradbroke Handicap Day program, this year’s $600,000 Group 1 J.J. Atkins (1600m) field is at capacity with 16 runners plus two emergencies engaged for Eagle Farm Race 7 at 2:20pm (AEST).

Sitting top of the latest JJ Atkins odds at Ladbrokes.com.au is the market mover Sacred Elixir ($4.20) out of New Zealand.

He ran sixth in the traditional JJ Atkins lead-up at Doomben last time behind Attention in the Group 2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1350m), but finished off strongly and looks like he’ll appreciate the step up in distance at the roomier Eagle Farm course proper.

The other best in JJ Atkins betting this season include the John O’Shea-trained Souchez ($4.60) and Peter & Paul Snowden’s Attention ($7) who ran fifth and first respectively in the BRC Sires’.

So is the BRC Sires’ Produce form the one to follow into the JJ Atkins or does the full race form guide, betting history and statistical info reveal value further down the markets?

2016 JJ Atkins Form Facts & Betting Stats

• Last year’s JJ Atkins winner was the Chris Waller-trained Press Statement (2015) who came off a Rosehill win the month before and jumped from barrier 10 (of 12) with Tye Angland aboard the 11/2 shot
• Chris Waller (9-2-3-1) is without a runner this year but the previous JJ Atkins winning trainers with a starter are: Kelso Wood (4-1-0-1) with #1 Nikitas, Peter Snowden (6-1-0-3) who co-trains #2 Attention with his son Paul, John O’Shea (3-1-0-0) with #3 Souchez, John Hawkes (12-2-2-3) who co-trains #11 Redouble with his sons Michael and Wayne, and Gai Waterhouse (9-2-1-0) with #14 Vasiliev
• The only previous JJ Atkins winning jockey with a ride on the weekend is Kerrin McEvoy (8-2-0-2) on #13 Charnley River ($34)
• Last year’s winning barrier (10) has produced a total of four JJ Atkins winners (since 1983) and is drawn this year by #10 Punishing ($101), but it will be #5 Oink (11) starting from the gate if the emergencies fail to gain a run
• Barrier 10 is the equal most successful Queensland Derby barrier in that time along with gates 6 and 11; barrier six is drawn this year by #12 Cadogan ($11) while gate 11 will belong to #9 Sacred Elixir (13) with the emergencies out
• Sydney visitors coming off a lead-up run at home have won the past three editions of the JJ Atkins
• Before that the BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes produced six straight JJ Atkins winners from 2007 – 2012 including Sizzling (2012) and Pressday (2010) who completed the double
• This year #2 Attention ($7) is after the BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes – JJ Atkins double

• The other BRC Sires’ graduates in the mix are: Dreams Aplenty (2^nd), Nikitas (3^rd), Candika (4^th), Souchez (5^th), Sacred Elixir (6^th), Crack Me Up (7^th), Meet And Greet (8^th), Cadogan (9^th), Oink (10^th) and the first emergency Zendaye (13^th of 13 runners)
• Four JJ Atkins favourites have saluted for the punters in the past decade with Romantic Touch (2013) the most recent; this year’s favourite is #9 Sacred Elixir ($4.20)
• Linky Dink (2009) is the only filly in the past 10 years to beat home the boys in the JJ Atkins; the fillies in the line-up this year are #16 Candika, #17 Heart Skipt A Beat and #18 Our Cinderella
• The highest Win Rate of the field belongs to #11 Redouble (50%) and #14 Vasiliev (50%)
• The best Place Rate belongs to the same two horses with 100% followed by the likes of #4 Barbass (83%), #1 Nikitas (80%), #3 Souchez (80%) and #5 Oink (80%)
• No JJ Atkins hopefuls have previous form at the Eagle Farm track
• The only previous winner over the distance (1600m) is #14 Vasiliev (1-1-0-0)

Stay tuned to Races.com.au for our insider JJ Atkins 2016 betting tips and in the meantime sign-up with Ladbrokes.com.au for access to the weekend’s hottest Group 1 racing odds and offers.

2016 JJ Atkins Form Guide