Australia: Wide-open Stradbroke offers considerable betting value
The Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm Racecourse in Brisbane, Australia, is annually one of the country’s toughest sprints, drawing a large and competitive field.
It is often not easy for bettors, either. War Machine won as the 2-1 favorite last year, but three of the previous four winners paid 10-1 to 14-1.
Saturday’s running of the seven-furlong race will have a field of 18 and lack a heavy favorite. Headley Grange was 5-1 in early betting on Wednesday, with Fangirl, Regal Award, and Sixties at 7-1. Sixties was stuck on the also-eligible list, needing one withdrawal to gain a place in the field.
The race is worth $2.1 million.
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Fangirl, a 7-year-old mare who has won 12 of 39 starts, is a four-time Group 1 winner who will share top weight of 124.5 pounds with Another Wil, Private Eye, and Rothfire, all longshots.
Fangirl was third in the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup at six furlongs at Eagle Farm on May 30, closing from 14th of 16 to finish slightly less than a half-length behind Headley Grange.
Headley Grange, a winner of 12 of 28 starts, will carry 122.3 pounds. In the Kingsford Smith Cup, he ended a five-race losing streak dating back to the $973,500 Alan Brown Stakes last October.
Regal Award won the Group 3 Fred Best Stakes for 3-year-olds at Eagle Farm in a 17-1 upset on May 30, beating 17 rivals with a stalking trip. A winner of 3 of 10 starts, Regal Award will carry 109 pounds, the lowest assignment in the race.
The Stradbroke Handicap has a post time of 1:57 a.m. Eastern on Saturday.
There are two other major stakes on the Eagle Farm program.
J.J. Atkins
The Group 1 J.J. Atkins Stakes for Southern Hemisphere 2-year-olds will be the stakes debut for the promising Tron Bolt, who has won his last two starts – two minor handicaps at Sydney-area tracks at seven furlongs and 6 1/2 furlongs since mid-May. Tron Bolt, trained by Chris Waller, was 5-4 on Wednesday to beat 12 rivals in the $700,000 Atkins.
The closer to beat is Berzelius, the winner of the Group 2 Sires Produce Stakes at seven furlongs at Eagle Farm at 30-1 on May 30, his second win in three career starts.
Q22 Stakes
The program’s leading race for older stayers is the Group 2 Q22 Stakes at 1 3/8 miles, which is worth $840,000 and drew a field of 11, including Half Yours, the winner of the famous Group 1 Melbourne Cup last November, and Pride of Jenni, the Australian Horse of the Year in 2023-2024.
Pride of Jenni was second in the Group 1 Doomben Cup at 1 1/4 miles at Doomben Racecourse in Brisbane on May 23, losing by slightly more than 2 1/2 lengths after taking her customary position on the lead. In the Q22 Stakes, Pride of Jenni must hold off expected threats from Half Yours and Vauban, who were third and fourth in the Doomben Cup.
Half Yours is winless in three starts since the Melbourne Cup at distances ranging from seven furlongs to 1 1/4 miles. A start in the longer Q22 Stakes enhances his chances for a ninth career win in his 19th start.
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