Stradbroke Handicap betting preview & top tips | June 11, 2022
| What | Stradbroke Handicap 2022 |
| Where | Eagle Farm Racecourse – 230 Lancaster Rd, Ascot QLD 4007 |
| When | Saturday, June 11, 2022 |
| Prizemoney | $1,500,000 |
| Distance | 1400m |
| Status | Group 1 |
| Conditions | Handicap | 3YO & Upwards |
| 2021 Winner | Tofane (10) | Trainer: Michael Moroney | Jockey: Craig Williams (54.5kg) |
The 2022 edition of the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap has attracted a highly competitive field, with 18 gallopers set to contest the $1.5 million event at Eagle Farm this Saturday, June 11. The famous 1400m race has been won by some champions in recent years, including Chief De Beers, Dane Ripper, Santa Ana Lane and Tofane.
Despite drawing poorly at Tuesday night’s barrier draw, Ayrton remains the $5.50 favourite with , while Eleven Eleven is hot on his heels at $6 following an eye-catching run in the Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) on May 28. Winning that race was the local galloper Apache Chase, who rounds out the runners in single figures at $9 after coming up with barrier three. Alligator Blood ($10), Isotope ($12) and three-year-olds Vilana and Startantes (both $13) are also at the top end of the market, while Group 1 winners Private Eye and Rothfire are both $15 chances.
As is often the case in this type of race, there looks to be plenty of pressure for the leaders to try and absorb. Apache Chase, Rothfire and Buffalo River ($31) are all natural leaders, while Alligator Blood, Vilana, Soxagon ($17), Ayrton and Emerald Kingdom ($31) will all look to be in the first half of the field.
Continue reading for HorseBetting’s free in depth runner-by-runner preview of the 2022 Stradbroke Handicap.
Private Eye
1. PRIVATE EYE (1)
4yo G | T: Joseph Pride | J: Brenton Avdulla (57kg)
While the weight of history is against Private Eye, with only two runners carrying 56.5kg or more to victory in the past 40-odd years, this could be the year that the trend is bucked. The Epsom Handicap winner of 2021 has a pretty fair record at Eagle Farm, with one win and a midfield effort in his two runs there. When we last saw the Joe Pride-trained galloper step out on a track, he was doing his best work at the end of the Kingsford-Smith Cup a fortnight ago over 1300m, so the rise to 1400m will definitely suit. Barrier one allows Brenton Avdulla settle handier than what we’ve seen of late, and while he meets a few runners worse off at the weights, he does drop 2kg himself which will be a nice relief. Private Eye is a definite winning chance in our books.
Laws Of Indices
2. LAWS OF INDICES (13)
4yo H | T: Annabel Neasham | J: James McDonald (56.5kg)
The 56.5kg allocated to Laws Of Indices is pretty stiff really. The four-year-old entire is a Group 1 winner in Europe, but he’s not really done anything in his handful of Australian starts. Yes, he was wide without cover for much of the Kingsford-Smith Cup, but he didn’t finish the race off well enough to be sucking us in. James McDonald did seek the ride early though, so maybe that could be a slight guide if there is one.
Apache Chase
3. APACHE CHASE (3)
4yo G | T: Desleigh Forster | J: Jim Byrne (55.5kg)
Apache Chase was the first horse in the 2022 Stradbroke Handicap after his dominant win in The Gateway in December at this course and distance. The Desleigh Forster-trained four-year-old was able to fend off his rivals in the Kingsford-Smith Cup last start, giving his trainer a maiden Group 1 victory. The son of Better Than Ready has not had as much of a tedious preparation as he did 12 months ago leading up to this race, with Forster planning a third-up assault on the Group 1 feature. He will lead from barrier three, and while he won’t get as much of a picnic in front as he did last start, the higher pressure could almost suit this track specialist. Wary.
Eleven Eleven
4. ELEVEN ELEVEN (5)
5yo G | T: Gregory Hickman | J: Hugh Bowman (55.5kg)
All of the talk out of the Kingsford-Smith Cup last start was that Eleven Eleven was the horse to follow out of the race. Going though the Greg Hickman-trained five-year-old’s record though, we aren’t too sure if we are convinced. The son of Fastnet Rock comes alive on Magic Millions Day, having won at the rich Gold Coast meeting for the last three years, but they are Restricted Listed races. He was good at weight-for-age when three tenths of a length away in third, but he had a cushy run in transit and the runs came for him in the straight. He could very well get an identical run again from barrier five, but we are just cautious that he may have been flattered by circumstances last start.
Alligator Blood
5. ALLIGATOR BLOOD (21)
5yo G | T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | J: Tim Clark (55kg)
What to do with Alligator Blood? We guess you can still call him a Queenslander. As a three-year-old, you would not have found a more popular horse in racing, with the then-David Vandyke-trained galloper winning the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m), before starting favourite in the All Star Mile (1600m) at his next start. That was two years ago, and we had not seen him close to his best in some time. The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained son of All Too Hard was very good late in the Group 3 BRC Sprint (1300m) on May 28, closing off well to finish second to Soxagon. Barrier 21 is sticky once again, and we aren’t convinced that the BRC Sprint is the right form line to bring into the Stradbroke, even though Tofane used that path to win this race last year.
Soxagon
6. SOXAGON (11)
6yo G | T: Mark Currie | J: Brad Stewart (54.5kg)
Soxagon has been airborne this preparation, winning both of his races. The Mark Currie-trained six-year-old was brilliant fresh at the Gold Coast, winning at Listed level by three lengths with 59kg, before proving too tough in the BRC Sprint last time out under 58kg. He drops right down to 54.5kg on Saturday which will be a huge relief, while the rise to 1400m – arguably his best distance – will no doubt suit. Again, we aren’t sure that he brings the right form to a high-quality Group 1 Handicap, but he is flying.
READ: Top 10 Stradbroke Handicap winners of the past three decades
Emerald Kingdom
7. EMERALD KINGDOM (2)
7yo G | T: Rob Heathcote | J: Kerrin McEvoy (54.5kg)
Emerald Kingdom was the inaugural winner of The Archer up in Rockhampton two starts ago before return to Brisbane and having his standard flat run when third-up in the BRC Sprint. Jockey Kerrin McEvoy has had a bit of success in this race, having ridden the winner twice in the past seven runnings (Srikandi 2015 and Trekking 2019). Emerald Kingdom is one of three runners from the Rob Heathcote yard, and as his odds suggest, he clearly looks to be the third seed.
Wild Planet
8.WILD PLANET (14)
6yo G | T: Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | J: Brock Ryan (54.5kg)
If Wild Planet wins and you have had something on him, well done to you. We couldn’t possibly back him after he finished last in the Kingsford-Smith Cup at the end of May. His form since running a place in last year’s Doomben 10,000 has been well and truly below his best, so we’d be shocked to see the Hawkes-trained six-year-old figure in the first half of the field.
Rothfire
9. ROTHFIRE (20)
4yo G | T: Rob Heathcote | J: Tommy Berry (54.5kg)
The second of Heathcote’s runners is champion two-year-old of his generation, Rothfire. The now-four-year-old gelding had to overcome a few issues over the past couple of seasons, so to see him back near his best is terrific to see. He was an eye-catching fourth in the Kingsford-Smith Cup, going down by only 0.4 of a length over the 1300m, while was still attacking the line. Barrier 20 is very awkward, but Heathcote said on Tuesday night that instructions to Tommy Berry will be to go forward and try to lead from the wide alley. When he won the Group 1 J.J. Atkins in 2020, that race was run over 1400m at this track, so he could find that form of old on Saturday. Rothfire is certainly the X-Factor.
I Am Superman
10. I AM SUPERMAN (18)
6yo G | T: Peter & Paul Snowden | J: Sam Clipperton (54.5kg)
Peter & Paul Snowden are arguably Australia’s best ‘grand final trainers’, in the sense that when they have target races for horses in mind, they often won’t peak or even win all preparation until they get to that race. For that reason, it is interesting to see I Am Superman essentially come into the Stradbroke first-up. He had a couple of runs earlier in the year throughout April, but it has been two months since he raced and he has had two barrier trials since, winning the most recent in pretty handy style. The Snowdens and Sam Clipperton combined earlier in the Brisbane Carnival with Mazu to win the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m), so we wouldn’t be completely shocked if I Am Superman runs a cheeky race from barrier 18. The 1400m on a dry Eagle Farm track will be very much to his liking.
Ayrton
11. AYRTON (19)
4yo G | T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr | J: Jamie Kah (54kg)
The race favourite for the 2022 edition of the race is boom horse, Ayrton. This time last year, Ayrton broke the hearts of punters around the country when he didn’t get a start in this very race, despite being the early all-in favourite with online bookmakers. He instead went around on Stradbroke Day as a long odds-on favourite in the Gunsynd Classic (1600m) and won comfortably. Can he win again on Stradbroke Day, but this time in the Group 1 feature? We aren’t so sure. The four-year-old son of Iffraaj has had a strange preparation, with the Doomben Cup (2000m) his original target. Plans changed when he failed over 1800m in the A.D. Hollindale Stakes (1800m) on the Gold Coast in early May, with this 1400m event now his aim. Barrier 19 is far from ideal, so it will take an elite training performance by the Price-Kent yard, as well as a top-tier ride by Jamie Kah is this bloke is to salute. Good enough, yes.
Bandersnatch
12. BANDERSNATCH (12)
5yo G | T: Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | J: Jason Collett (54kg)
While Ayrton might be good enough to overcome a few obstacles, Bandersnatch would need a miracle if he is to win this race based on his form. He was a good winner of the Tamworth Cup (1400m) two starts ago, before failing to beat a runner home in the Listed Luskin Star (1300m) at Scone on May 14. He is up against it here.
READ: Chris Munce reflects on his 1997 Stradbroke Handicap victory
Niccanova
13. NICCANOVA (16)
8yo G | T: Steve Tregea | J: Anthony Allen (53.5kg)
If ever a local galloper deserved a Group 1, it is this guy. Niccanova was desperately close to winning the Stradbroke in 2020, running a narrow third to Tyzone and Madam Rouge. Since then, the Steve Tregea-trained eight-year-old has only won one race, claiming the Group 2 Victory Stakes (1200m) at this track 12 months ago. He was unlucky in the BRC Sprint two back, before running only fairly on Saturday in the Moreton Cup behind Baller. He isn’t going well enough to win.
Buffalo River
14. BUFFALO RIVER (10)
6yo G | T: Michael Moroney | J: Rachel King (53.5kg)
Buffalo River will be in his box doing a little rain dance at the moment, with the six-year-old’s only wins coming on rain-affected tracks while he has been in Australia. Last year’s Stradbroke-winning trainer Michael Moroney has followed a similar path as he did last year with Tofane, going from a 1400m race in April to the BRC Sprint at 1300m and then back to 1400m for this race, but comparing Buffalo River to Tofane just should not be done. He will go forward under Rachel King and be in it for a while, but we can’t see him figuring.
Isotope
15. ISOTOPE (4)
4yo M | T: Tony Gollan | J: William Pike (52.5kg)
Tony Gollan has fallen short a couple of times in the Stradbroke, with the likes of Spirit Of Boom, Temple Of Boom and most recently Vega One all running minor placings without winning. Being a local, we know it is a race he would love to win, and if Isotope is on her A-game, there is no reason why she can’t win. The four-year-old is a very good galloper, having won over $1 million from just her 14 career starts. While her best form is good enough, we aren’t sure that we’ve really seen that this time in, with three below-par runs in both Sydney and Brisbane. She is in well at the weights with 52.5kg, barrier four is perfect and William Pike is riding well in Queensland, so you could easily go back to the well if you’re a fan. We just would have liked to have seen a bit more this prep.
Brooklyn Hustle
16. BROOKLYN HUSTLE (22)
5yo M | T: Jason Warren & Dean Krongold | J: Craig Williams (52kg)
You are sick if you back Brooklyn Hustle every start. The flashy chestnut is the ultimate tease, with fast-finishing runs catching our eye almost every time she steps out on a racetrack. With the emergencies unlikely to get a start, the five-year-old will have to jump from the extreme outside alley, so once again she will have to get back and try to run on. We can’t tumble into her on Saturday.
Vilana
17. VILANA (8)
3yo C | T: James Cummings | J: Stephanie Thornton (50.5kg)
The Royal Blue silks of Godolphin have been prominent in this race in recent years, with Impending (2017) and Trekking (2019) both winning the famous race. Like Impending, Vilana comes into the race as a three-year-old as he attempts to be the first three-year-old since Impending to win. Vilana is most definitely a horse on the up, having won four of his six starts as he continues to raise the bar each time he steps out onto a racetrack, as we saw in the Group 3 Fred Best Classic. After the emergencies come out, the colt by Hallowed Crown is likely to jump from barrier six, which will allow local rider Stephanie Thornton to get the run of the race, tucked in behind the speed. With no weight on his back, he will be able to burst into clear air and sprint quickly in the straight, which could be enough to see him salute. In what is an incredibly open edition of the Stradbroke, we think we are siding with this guy.
Startantes
18. STARTANTES (15)
3yo F | T: Rob Heathcote | J: Taylor Marshall (50kg)
Rounding out the 18 horses in the final field is three-year-old filly Startantes. The Rob Heathcote-trained daughter of Star Turn was very good throughout the early Sydney Carnival, going down narrowly in the Group 1 Surround Stakes over this distance. She then came back to Brisbane, went brilliantly first-up in the Victory Stakes against the older horses, before being only fair in a 3YO Plate when favourite on May 14, and then once again in the Fred Best. The drop to 50kg in a high pressure race is most definitely an advantage, but she meets Vilana 1.5kg worse off from when they met in the Fred Best and she has three lengths to turn around on him.
2022 STRADBROKE HANDICAP EMERGENCIES
Startantes
19EM1. SCALLOPINI (7)
7yo G | T: Steven O’Dea & Matthew Hoysted | J: Boris Thornton (53.5kg)
The first of the emergencies is the brave Scallopini, who just never runs a bad race. The seven-year-old very nearly won the Victory Stakes first-up and then was game in defeat when seventh in the Kingsford-Smith Cup on May 28. This is of course tougher, but he wouldn’t know himself with 53.5kg on his back.
Ranch Hand
20EM2. RANCH HAND (23)
3yo C | T: Chris Waller | J: Jay Ford (50.5kg)
Ranch Hand was one horse who we were hoping would scrape into the field, because his win last start on May 14 at this track and distance was brilliant. He drops right down to 50.5kg if he were to make the field, he is in the right stable and he is very adaptable. Barrier 23 is a killer but.
Flying Crazy
21EM3. FLYING CRAZY (17)
3yo G | T: Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou | J: TBA (50.5kg)
A bit like Ranch Hand, Flying Crazy is one three-year-old who we could have seen run a very big race. His best wins have been on the back of hot tempos which we are sure to get on Saturday, so the gelding by Flying Artie would have been coming home with a wet sail late.
Tycoonist
22EM4. TYCOONIST (9)
4yo G | T: Chris Waller | J: TBA (51.5kg)
Tycoonist was well backed in the BRC Sprint last start, but he was pretty disappointing really when seventh. He is no doubt a good sprinter as he showed with his Listed win over 1100m at Hawkesbury in April, but a Stradbroke seems a bridge too far.
Frankie Pinot
23EM5. FRANKIE PINOT (6)
5yo G | T: Tony & Calvin McEvoy | J: Barend Vorster (51.5kg)
Frankie Pinot was terrific when winning the Wangoom Handicap (1200m) on May 4 and then he was again brave running fourth in the Group 1 Goodwood Handicap (1200m) last start. He probably wants a wet track though.
2022 Stradbroke Handicap Betting Tips
-
17
VILANA
-
1
PRIVATE EYE
-
3
APACHE CHASE
-
10
I AM SUPERMAN
| $100 betting strategy | |
|---|---|
| $35 each way | VILANA (#17) @ $13/$4 |
| $15 each way | PRIVATE EYE (#1) @ $15/$4.50 |