Stradbroke Handicap – 2020

Track: Good   Weather: Fine

There is a full field of 18 runners plus 5 emergencies for the $350,000 Stradbroke Handicap and 8 of them had their last start in the Group 2 Victory Stakes on 23 May. The early favourite is three-year-old  Dawn Passage who has won his last three starts in a row and has a huge drop in weight here. Second favourite is topweight Trekking who won this race in 2019, and comes off a win in the Group 1 Goodwood last start. Third favourite is Victorem who won the Group 2 Victory Stakes last outing.

Exhilarates is a three-year-old in good form who only has 49.5 kg to carry.  Hightail won the Group 3 Gold Coast Guineas last start following a 1250m Kensington win. Tyzone finished 2nd in this race last year and comes off a 5th in the Victory Stakes where he copped some bumping. Vega One was 9th in the Victory Stakes and has 2 wins at this track and distance, while Kementari finished 8th in the Victory Stakes.  All other runners are currently 20 to 1 or longer.

1. Trekking

He won this race in 2019 and has won 10 of his 28 starts, with 6 of those wins being over this distance. He followed a 1.3 length 2nd in the Group 3 Hallmark Stakes over 1200m at Randwick on 18 April with an impressive 0.1 length win in the Group 1 Goodwood over 1200m at Morphettville on 16 May where he really drove home hard.  He is one of the main chances again.

2. Kementari

This Lonhro gelding was  off the track for 55 weeks but has not been far from the winner at his four runs since resuming. He was 1.15 lengths 5th in the Group 3 BRC Sprint over 1200m at Doomben on 9 May, then 3 lengths 8th in the Group 2 Victory Stakes at Eagle Farm on 23 May.

3. Niccanova

Last preparation he won a couple of Listed races at Doomben and Eagle Farm. He resumed for 1,3 lengths 2nd in the Group 2 Victory Stakes and normally goes well second-up. He will run his usual honest race.

4. Ranier

He has a good record at this distance and has won both starts since resuming with a narrow win in the Randwick 100 Handicap over 1400m on 18 April, then a 1.3 length win in the Listed Luskin Star Stakes over 1300m at Rosehill on 16 May.. He has drawn a wide barrier but is good enough to make his presence felt.

5. Victorem

This I Am Invincible gelding has a career record of 8 wins and 6 places from 19 starts. He resumed in the G3 BRC Sprint Quality Handicap where he was bumped at the start and decided to buck then finished last. Next start he broke away at the 150m to win the Group 2 Victory Stakes by 1.3 lengths over 1200m at Eagle Farm on 23 May, where he beat 7 of the other runners in this field. He drops 4kg from that win and is one of the main hopes to win.

6. Tyzone

Last year he finished 2nd in this race behind Trekking. He finished 1.45 lengths 7th in the Group 3 BRC Sprint Quality at Doomben on 9 May where he was hampered at he start, then finished 2.2 lengths 5th in the G2 Victory Stakes where he got bumped. He has drawn very wide but is not without a hope with only 52.5 kg to carry.

7. Crack Me Up

In 2018 this Mossman gelding ran 4th in this race to Santa Ana Lane on a heavy track. He finished 4 lengths 8th in the Listed Sunshine Coast over 1400m on 25 January before a 15 week break. He resumed for 1.1 lengths 4th in the Listed Takover Target Stakes over 1200m at Randwick on 9 May, where he ran the best last 600 race sectional of the day at distance. His second-up form is good and he could rush home late.

8. Vega One

He has raced at Group level at his past 2 starts for 4th in the G3 BRC Sprint and 3.2 lengths 9th in the G2 Victory Stakes. He needs to improve on that to figure here.

9. Chief Ironside

In 2019 he contested two Group 1 races – the Toorak Handicap and the Kennedy Cantala – and finished well back in both of them. This campaign began with 5.3 lengths 10th in the Randwick 100 Handicap on 18 April, then 0.59 lengths 4th in the Listed Scone Cup over 1600m on 15 May. He has yet to win at a distance of less than 1600m and that is not likely to change here.

10. Graff

It has been a long time since this horse won. He resumed for 0.5 length 4th in the Listed Hawkesbury Rush held at Rosehill Gardens on 25 April, then only battled in the straight when 3.2 lengths 5th in the Listed Luskin Star Stakes on 16 May. This is too hard.

11. Deep Image

This Testa Rossa gelding is rarely far from the winner and has a good record at this track and distance. He just missed to finish 0.1 length 2nd in the G3 BRC Sprint, then was 3rd in the G2 Victory Stakes behind Victorem and Niccanova. He is not without a hope.

12. Winter Bride

This mare has won 9 of her 28 starts, but has never won beyond 1200m. She kept chasing for 3 lengths 6th in the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes over 1200m at Randwick on 11 April, then finished 2.4 lengths 6th in the G2 Victory Stakes. Not here.

13. Madam Rouge

Over the Christmas/New Year period she won the Listed Christmas Classic over 1200m at Randwick, and the $1M MM Sprint over 1200m at the Gold Coast. Since resuming she has been well beaten in all 3 starts and looks unlikely to fire here.

14. Outback Barbie

She has finished 3rd in the G3 BRC Sprint and 4th in the G2 Victory Stakes at her last two runs. That is good enough for her to finish in the first half of the field here, but not to win.

15. Bam’s On Fire

This mare has only missed the trifecta 3 times in 20 starts. She won the Group 3 Victoria Handicap over 1400m at Caulfield on 11 April then battled away on the fence to grab 3rd in the Group 1 TAB Classic over 1200m at Morphettville on 2 May. She has drawn the inside barrier and is capable of being in the finish if she gets a good run.

16. Dawn Passage

This three-year-old colt trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott has won his last three starts but has been awarded the visitor’s draw of the outside barrier in this race. He won the G3 Hawkesbury Guineas over 1400m at Rosehill on 25 April, the Inglis 3YO Guineas over 1400m at Rosehill on 16 May and the G3 Fred Best 3YO Platte over 1350m at Doomben on 30 May. Three-year-olds have a good record in this race and he looks the hardest to beat.

17. Hightail

With 5 wins and 5 places from 14 starts, this Written Tycoon gelding has been going well. This preparation he has won a BM 88 handicap over 1250m at Kensington on 2 May, then won the G3 Gold Coast Guineas 3YO Plate over 1200m in the final stride on 16 May. The 50kg and barrier 5 give him a solid opportunity to be in the finish again here. Each-way.

18. Exhilarates

She is the only filly in the race and has had a good preparation with 3rd in the G3 Gold Coast Guineas 3YO Plate and 2nd behind Dawn Passage in the G3 Fred Best 3YO Plate. With only 49.5 kg to carry , it would be no surprise to see her in the finish.

19. Baccarat Baby – 1st Emergency

Has placed at her last 3 runs with the latest being 0.1 length, 0.1 length 3rd in the Listed Wayne Wilson over 1600m at the Sunshine Coast on 15 May. She has drawn beautifully in barrier 3 but is unlikely to get a run.

20. Brave Song – 2nd Emergency

He had been running closer to last than first at his last few races then showed a return to form with 1.3 lengths 2nd in the Listed Luskin Star Stakes over 1300m at Rosehill on 16 May. Not expected to get a start.

21. Bandipur – 3rd Emergency

Looks outclassed.

22. Military Zone – 4th Emergency

He has been less than a length from the winner at both starts this preparation but needs to find more.

23. Delectation Girl – 5th Emergency

Resumed for 10th of 16 in the G3 Dark Jewel Classic over 1400m at Rosehill on 16 May. Not here.

The following are the top 4 selections for this years race.

Jo’s Tips
16 Dawn Passage
5 Victorem
1 Trekking
17 Hightail