Queensland’s premier race, the Stradbroke Handicap, boasts a proud and storied legacy. Since its inaugural running in 1890, it has delivered countless unforgettable moments and thrilling finishes.
As anticipation builds for the 2026 edition, set to take place this Saturday at Eagle Farm, we’re taking a moment to reflect on some of the standout victories in recent years that have captured the imagination of racing fans across the nation.
1984 & 1986 – Daybreak Lover
When talking memorable Stradbroke Handicap moments, it would be amiss to not to start with the extraordinary Daybreak Lover.
The son of Namnan won the first of his two titles in 1984 as a three-year-old but it was his second victory in 1986 that is the stuff of folklore.
He only won once in 13 starts as a four-year-old so it was decided to retire him to stud. He serviced 59 mares which gave the aptly named Daybreak Lover a new lease on life. With the then five-year-old bucking his brand off, it was decided to send him back to the races.
Daybreak Lover entered the 1986 Stradbroke Handicap a stronger horse. He won the Lightning Handicap first-up before comfortably winning his second feature second-up in race record time. It was a truly amazing feat that will undoubtably never be repeated!
2006 – La Montagna
The 2006 Stradbroke Handicap was one for the locals with Eagle Farm trainer Barry Baldwin putting the polish on La Montagna in the feature.
The three-year-old carried just 48.5kg. Jumping from barrier 18 in the field of 20, Craig Newitt settled his mount towards the back. La Montagna raced three and four deep throughout but produced a stirring finish with the light weight. She finished over the top of her rivals to claim victory much to the delight of Newitt who gave an impressive salute.
La Montagna was crowned Queensland Horse of the Year in season 2005/06. The Stradbroke Handicap victory capped a magnificent year for the filly that also saw her win the Vo Rogue, the Bright Shadow and BTC Classic.
2013 – Linton
While La Montagna’s win will be one that Brisbane racing fans will remember fondly, the 2013 edition will be one that they may want to forget. Local star Buffering looked to have his chance to claim Queensland’s showpiece race but unfortunately an interstate horse was in town to crash the party.
The John Sadler-trained Linton was given little hope despite bringing winning form into the race. The grey settled towards the back after drawing barrier 16. Turning for home, Nicholas Hall was last on the fence. Riding for luck, Hall hugged the fence in the straight. With the leaders getting out, the gap opened up and Linton shot through late to pass Buffering to win and break the hearts of trainer Rob Heathcote and Buff’s many fans.
2024 – Stefi Magnetica
In a dazzling display of grit, speed, and sheer determination, three-year-old filly Stefi Magnetica etched her name into racing folklore by winning the 2024 Stradbroke Handicap.
Trained by Bjorn Baker and ridden to perfection by rising star Zac Lloyd, the daughter of All Too Hard defied the odds, overcoming a wide barrier draw and a field of seasoned sprinters to become the first three-year-old filly since La Montagna in 2006 to claim victory in Queensland’s most prestigious race.
Carrying just 50kg, Stefi Magnetica surged up the inside rail in a thrilling finish, holding off Group 1 winner Bella Nipotina and the fast-finishing Vilana. The win marked Lloyd’s first Group 1 triumph, a moment made even more special by the emotional support of his father, former champion jockey Jeff Lloyd, watching on from the stands.
In a poetic twist of fate, her triumph came 12 years after her dam, Mid Summer Music, captured the 2014 Stradbroke Handicap.
Stefi Magnetica has kicked on since her memorable Queensland win having won the 2025 Group 1 Doncaster Mile where Baker once again beat the handicapper.
2014 – River Lad
Sunshine Coast trainer Natalie McCall became the first woman to train a Stradbroke Handicap winner when River Lad won the 2014 edition of the race. It was also McCall’s first Group 1 victory.
Like most Queensland trainers, the Stradbroke Handicap is a race McCall always wanted to win and her plan to win it with River Lad eventuated despite the gelding being hit by a mud clod in the Victory Stakes a month prior.
River Lad with Ladbrokes own Damien Oliver in the saddle worked forward from a wide gate to settle outside leader Temple Of Boom. The two horses paired off in the straight, going stride for stride. River Lad pulled out plenty in the final strides to claim a narrow victory. The son of Top Echelon paid $31 for the win which is one of the longest prices in for a Stradbroke Handicap victor in recent times.
While River Lad is McCall’s only Stradbroke Handicap winner as a trainer, she was in the winner’s circle in 2001 when she strapped winner Crawl for John Hawkes.
2022 – Alligator Blood
The 2022 Stradbroke Handicap will be remembered for the return of Alligator Blood to the elite level.
The gelding with the cult following was the horse version of the late cricket champion Shane Warne with equal parts brilliance and drama. During his career ‘The Blood’ was famously stripped of his Magic Millions 3YO Guineas victory, banned from racing in New South Wales, diagnosed with kissing spine condition and in one year he took up residence in three different stables.
After he won the 2020 Australian Guineas, the wheels gradually fell off his career to the point pundits were calling for his retirement. However, a move to the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott stable in early 2022 would see his career rejuvenated under the watchful eye of Bott.
It took a long time, but Alligator Blood was finally ready to come back to racing and the powerhouse duo targeted the Queensland winter. Following an eye-catching second in the BRC Sprint where he stormed home after never being on the track, he entered the Stradbroke Handicap second-up. Jockey Tim Clark produced a perfect ride from barrier 17, getting cover before producing him in the straight where he unleashed a devastating finish to win by a length.
The win was Gai Waterhouse’s first Stradbroke title and her 150th Group 1 winner.
Alligator Blood would go onto win multiple Group 1 titles including back-to-back Underwood Stakes, the Cantala Stakes, the Futurity Stakes and the Caulfield Stakes before injury brought an end to his racing career at the beginning of 2024.
1994 – All Our Mob
All Our Mob is a horse very close to Bryan Guy’s heart. Guy credits the horse for putting him on the map. There is plenty of emotion surrounding All Our Mob for the Guy family. He was Bryan’s first winner as a trainer, winning a week after Bryan’s father passed away and he took over the training operation.
Guy also tasted the sweet taste of Group 1 success for the first time with All Our Mob in the 1994 Stradbroke Handicap. The four-year-old entered the race in good form. He’d won the Hall Mark Stakes before finishing runner-up in the Doomben 10,000 and BATC Cup. With Kevin Moses in the saddle, All Our Mob proved too strong in the 1994 Stradbroke Handicap, winning by a long neck.
All Our Mob was transferred to Gai Waterhouse three starts after winning the Stradbroke Handicap when his owner passed away. He went on to win the Mackinnon Stakes and the All Aged Stakes.
2002 – Show A Heart
The 2002 Stradbroke Handicap will be remembered for the stirring finish provided by Queensland legends Show A Heart and Falvelon.
Show A Heart was trained by proud Queenslander, Barry Miller. A stud career beckoned for Show A Heart following the Stradbroke Handicap and the entire couldn’t have entered his final race in better touch. The start prior he had finished a close second to Falvelon.
The two horses again battled it out in the Stradbroke. They were both a long way back entering the straight but made their runs down the outside at the same time. Alan Thomas’ call when the duo paired off was outstanding!
Many years later as stallions, Show A Heart and Falvelon would still compete against each other, racing up and down their adjacent paddocks.
1991 &1992 – Rough Habit
Without a doubt the most iconic Stradbroke Handicap win was Rough Habit’s 1992 victory. While ‘Roughie’ was a New Zealand horse, Queenslanders took him in as one of their own.
He won the 1991 Stradbroke Handicap and returned in 1992 where he was allotted 58.5kg by the handicappers. The task wasn’t easy with barrier 18 also needing to be overcome.
Jockey Jim Cassidy settled at the tail of the field. He was still at the back as they entered the straight. Things looked grim with a wall of horses in front of Rough Habit. With 200m to go, ‘Pumper’ weaved a passage through before exploding late to claim back-to-back Stradbroke Handicaps.
Words cannot do justice to how incredibly special this win was, so we’ll let the vision do the talking.
2009 & 2010 – Black Piranha
Winning one Stradbroke Handicap is hard to do, winning back-to-back titles is rare air. Along with Rough Habit, Black Piranha is one of only seven horses to complete the amazing double.
The Con Karakatsanis-trained gelding won the first of his Stradbroke Handicaps in 2009 when he was sent out favourite after finishing runner-up in the George Ryder Stakes, Doncaster Handicap and Doomben 10,000. After navigating trouble at the 800m mark, jockey Tye Angland was able to get on the right back which took him into the straight where the son of Clang let down powerfully to win by just under a length. The win was the first Group 1 for both Karakatsanis and the popular Angland.
Black Piranha would return in 2010 but this time he would start as a $21 chance, with nothing going right for him the six months leading up to the race. That was despite a return to form in the BRC Sprint where he finished a credible fourth the start prior. With Nash Rawiller riding, Black Piranha was last at the 600m mark after being pushed wide by Whobegotyou. Rawiller didn’t panic as he made his way through the pack before his mount produced a powerful burst in the final furlong to win in a photo finish.
Following his 2010 win, Karakatsanis vowed to be back for a third tilt at the title in 2011 and he did, but the old warrior could only manage an eighth-place finish to Sincero.
2020 – Tyzone
Toby and Trent Edmonds with leviathan owner Tom Hedley won the 2020 Stradbroke Handicap with the popular horse, Tyzone.
The win was a year in the making after ‘The Tolga Tornado’ finished runner-up in the 2019 edition of the race. Team Edmonds was single-minded with their plan to claim victory.
Robbie Fradd settled back from barrier 16. Aided by a strong tempo, Fradd started to circle the field turning for home. Tyzone was the second widest runner in the straight with the field spread right across the Eagle Farm track. Under the urgings of Fradd, Tyzone got up in the shadows of the post much to the delight of connections. It was the first Group 1 victory for Edmonds Racing.
The combination of Team Edmonds and Hedley would return the following year with The Harrovian looking to go back-to-back but despite trying hard, ‘The People’s Horse’ finished 1.5 lengths sixth.