The greatest day in Queensland racing has arrived! The $3 million Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap highlights a nine-race card at Eagle Farm this Saturday.
The Group 1 JJ Atkins and the Group 2 Q22 are other highlights on a day where every race is black-type. The stage is set for an absolute belter of a meeting!
We’ve cast our eye over the form and provided our best bet in each race below.
Race 1 - 11:43am AEST
LISTED OXLADE STAKES (1300 METRES)
Queen Of Dragons (9) got a long way back when resuming at Doomben over 1200m in the Listed Bill Carter Stakes.
The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained filly found the line strongly, clocking the fastest final 200m of the race. That bodes well on the bigger Eagle Farm track and the rise to 1300m.
She’ll strip fitter second-up and did run a great race to finish second to Militarize when having her second run last preparation.
1 Unit – Queen Of Dragons (9)
Race 2 - 12:18pm AEST
GROUP 3 GUNSYND CLASSIC (1600 METRES)
Yellow Brick (1) looks well placed here third-up under set weight conditions in the Gunsynd Classic.
The Tony and Maddy Sears-trained gelding was outstanding when winning the Group 3 Gold Coast Guineas first-up. He was far from disgraced when finishing second to Hawaii Five Oh in the Group 3 Fred Best Classic. Unfortunately, that meant he missed a start in the Stradbroke Handicap.
He’ll be at peak fitness third-up and did win at his only only third-up run. He’s drawn to get the run of the race for Ben Thompson.
2 Units – Yellow Brick (1)
Race 3 - 12:53pm AEST
LISTED THE WAYNE WILSON (1600 METRES)
Munhamek (6) was very good when resuming with a win in the Listed Spear Chief Handicap over 1500m at this track.
The Nick Ryan-trained seven-year-old continued the excellent form he displayed last preparation in Melbourne where he won over this distance in back-to-back races at Flemington and Moonee Valley.
He’ll strip fitter second-up and from the nice draw he should settle closer in the run.
1 Unit – Munhamek (6)
Teofilo Star (9) is racing in a rich vein of form on the flat and over the jumps.
The Waterhouse Bott-trained gelding won a maiden hurdle over 3200m three starts back by eight lengths before putting on a clinic in a BM120 hurdle at Sandown when romping in by a massive 15 lengths!
He proved he could still mix it on the flat last start when leading all the way to win by six lengths in a BM100 at Flemington over 2520m.
With Tim Clark engaged to ride starting from the inside gate in the Brisbane Cup field, he’ll go forward and in a race with limited speed, he could be hard to run down. There will be no problem with running a strong two miles.
2 Units – Teofilo Star (9)
Race 5 - 2:03pm AEST
LISTED HINKLER HANDICAP (1200 METRES)
The Big Goodbye (7) deserves a black-type win and gets his chance here despite the tricky gate.
The Rob Heathcote-trained gelding was narrowly beaten last start by Mishani Sniper in the Listed Chief De Beers. Three starts back he demonstrated his toughness by winning over this course and distance.
He never runs a bad race and will go forward and find a prominent position for Jason Collett.
1 Unit – The Big Goodbye (7)
Race 6 - 2:38pm AEST
GROUP 2 THE Q22 (2200 METRES)
Without A Fight (3) resumed in fine style last start in the Group 3 Lord Mayor’s Cup.
The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained import produced a powerful turn of foot to win easily by 1.76 lengths over the 1800m. The six-year-old recorded the fastest closing 600m and 200m closing sectionals of the race. He won at black-type level over further distances than this in the UK so the rise in trip won’t worry him.
He’ll have come on since his first-up run and he’ll be suited by a genuine tempo. He looks a very good stayer.
2 Units – Without A Fight (3)
Race 7 - 3:13pm AEST
GROUP 1 LADBROKES J.J. ATKINS (1600 METRES)
Tannhauser (6) has a sense of timing about him for this year’s JJ Atkins.
The Chris Waller-trained Dundeel colt was electric when winning over 1400m at Randwick last start. He had seven-lengths to make up but flew past the opposition like he was fired out of a cannon. It was a highly impressive performance.
He was seven weeks between runs so will strip fitter. Being sired by Dundeel he’ll appreciate the rise to 1600m. James McDonald can give him a great run from barrier 5 before letting him rip in the straight.
2 Units – Tannhauser (6)
Race 8 - 3:52pm AEST
GROUP 1 STRADBROKE HANDICAP (1400 METRES)
Trainer Joe Pride has a special talent in his stable in the form of Think About It (9).
The son of So You Think has gone from strength to strength, winning an amazing eight times from nine starts. The four-year-old gelding faced his toughest test to date last start when he lined up the Kingsford Smith Cup but as he has done each time, he said, “is that the best you’ve got?”
He carried 59kg that day and will now drop to 54kg to meet horses he put away reasonably comfortably better at the weights. He’ll be at peak fitness third-up.
Put simply, he ticks all the boxes and this year’s Stradbroke Handicap looks at his mercy.
Check out our deep dive into each Stradbroke Handicap runner here.
2 Units – Think About It (9)
Opal Ridge (15) looks awfully hard to beat on her preferred dry surface in this year’s Dane Ripper Stakes.
The Luke Pepper-trained filly savaged the line from the back to easily win the Listed Luskin Star Stakes over 1300m at Scone last start. Four runs back when again on a good track she put them away in the Listed Darby Munro Stakes by just under two lengths.
She comes here a month between runs which was the same timing prior to her Luskin Star Stakes win. With even luck in the run, she’ll take some stopping in the run home.
2 Units – Opal Ridge (15)