18 hours ago
‘Huge offers': Studs clamour for Cool Archie as owner Max Whitby dreams of The Everest
Cool Archie has made a compelling case for Champion Two-year-old honours and put himself into The Everest conversation after his outstanding Group 1 win in the JJ Atkins at Eagle Farm last Saturday.
The Chris and Corey Munce -trained Cool Archie made it five wins in succession – four of those at stakes level – when he comfortably held off Hidden Achievement.
Unlike the Horse of the Year award which is a foregone conclusion after champion mare Via Sistina 's phenomenal 2024-25 – in which she won a record-equalling seven Group 1 wins including the Cox Plate - Queen Elizabeth Stakes double – there has been no dominant two-year-old this season.
In fact, there has been a different winner of each of the five Group 1 two-year-old races with Marhoona and Devil Night scoring their only stakes win in the Golden Slipper and Blue Diamond respectively.
Nepotism won the Group 1 Champagne Stakes and Group 3 Baillieu Handicap while Vinrock was unbeaten in three starts and became first horse since Full On Aces (1981) to win the Group 2 VRC Sires Produce Stakes and Group 1 ATC Sires Produce Stakes double.
But Cool Archie's late season surge with five consecutive wins including the Listed Dalrello Stakes, Group 2 Spirit Of Boom Classic, Group 2 BRC Sires Produce Stakes and Group 1 JJ Atkins gives him a real shot at champion two-year-old honours.
'We feel he has done enough to win that award,'' owner Max Whitby said. 'He's an outstanding colt, he's won from 1000m to 1600m, he's won dry and wet tracks – he's a beauty.''
Cool Archie WINS the G1 J.J. Atkins! � @munceracing
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 14, 2025
Whitby said he had already fielded 'some huge offers' from interested studs looking to buy into Cool Archie as a potential stallion prospect.
But Whitby said he wasn't going to be rushed into any decisions in the short term as he left on Sunday to attend Royal Ascot in England.
'I've waited 20 years since Savabeel to race another top class colt and I've found one in his grandson, Cool Archie,'' Whitby said.
'It's incredible that Chris Munce won the Cox Plate on Savabeel (2004) for me and all these years later he's training Cool Archie.
'This colt will make a great stallion himself one day but first we have a lot to look forward to with him next season.''
"You can mount a case he should be 2YO of the season."
Cool Archie just keeps getting it done! What a star â� @munceracing @michaelmaxworth @bernadetecooper @BenWayAUS @CoreyGoodSkillz @BradJGray
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 15, 2025
Whitby said Cool Archie had earned a well-deserved spell with initial plans to set the colt for the Group 1 $3 million Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington on November 1.
But the owner also revealed there had been initial discussions about possibly aiming Cool Archie at the Group 1 $20 million The Everest (1200m) at Royal Randwick on October 18.
'Chris and I have been talking about The Everest, we are open to running him there,'' Whitby said.
'Cool Archie is such an exciting horse you have to look at everything. But we will just let the dust settle for now then see what some of the slot-holders are thinking.''
Whitby shares an Everest slot with Neil Werrett and Col Madden but they have already selected the outstanding Team Hawkes -trained Briasa for the world's richest turf race.
Briasa is currently on the third line of TAB Fixed Odds Everest betting at $8 behind Hong Kong sprint sensation Ka Ying Rising at $1.80 and the unbeaten Private Harry at $6.
