The Stradbroke Handicap is a Group 1 open handicap race that takes place annually in June at Eagle Farm racecourse in Brisbane, Queensland. The race is run over a distance of 1400 metres and worth $1,000,000 in prizemoney. The 2011 Stradbroke Handicap was won by Sincero from Beaded with Zero Rock third.
Stradbroke Day is Eagle Farm's biggest day of racing for the year and also on the program are the Gr1 Queensland Derby for three-year-olds and Gr1 The TJ Smith for two-year-olds.
The Stradbroke Handicap was first run in 1890 and is the biggest race of the Brisbane winter carnival offering $1,000,000 in prizemoney to entrants. The Stradbroke was named after Lord Stradbroke who was a relative of Admiral Rous, an architect of the weight for age scale.
The race itself is one of the premier sprint races held in Australia and is one of the toughest 1400m handicaps on the racing calendar each year. The Stradbroke is a high pressure race that always attracts a capacity field of very talented gallopers and suits those horses who can run out a very strong 1400 metres. It is not a race for the feint hearted and strong milers are well suited in the Stradbroke.
Class gallopers such as Dane Ripper (1997), All Our Mob (1994) and Rough Habit (1991-92) have all won this race over the years and the Stradbroke is the most highly anticipated race of the Brisbane winter carnival that generally sees four-year-old gallopers run very well.
Races such as the Gr1 Doomben 10,000 at Doomben and the Gr2 QTC Cup at Eagle Farm are typical lead up races to the Stradbroke and Black Piranha (2009) ran second in the Doomben 10,000 prior to winning this event, while Ortensia (3rd in 2009) won the QTC Cup before her third placing in this race.
The Doomben 10,000 has always been a great guide to the Stradbroke and in recent times Private Steer (2003), Show A Heart (2002), Adam (1999), All Our Mob (1994) and Rough Habit (1992) all finished runner-up in the Doomben 10,000 prior to winning this race.
Talented mare Melito (2nd in 2010) went on to win the premier mares race of the winter carnival, the Gr1 Winter Stakes, after finishing runner-up in the Stradbroke.
Sincero (2011) finished unplaced in the QTC Cup over 1300m at Eagle Farm before coming home strongyl to win this event and recent Stradbroke Handicap winners include Black Piranha (2009-10) and Mr Baritone (2008).
2011 Stradbroke Handicap result
1. $7.50 Sincero 50.5 J L Taylor
2. $6.50 Beaded 54.0 K Mc Evoy
3. $31.00 Zero Rock 52.0 Tim Clark
Then followed
4. $31.00 Buffering 52.0 G Schofield
5. $8.50 Thankgodyou'rehere 52.5 R Quinn
6. $21.00 Listen Son 52.0 R Wiggins
7. $7.50 Woorim 53.0 C Brown
8. $9.00 Black Piranha 57.0 J Bowman
9. $26.00 Bold Glance 53.0 S Seamer
10. $26.00 Culminate 52.0 M Walker
11. $26.00 All Silent 56.0 N Rawiller
12. $71.00 Star Of Octagonal 52.0 E Wilkinson
13. $51.00 Rightfully Yours 53.0 J Byrne
14. $81.00 Sniper's Bullet 56.0 M Rodd
15. $5.00 Love Conquers All 54.5 C Munce
16. $41.00 Alverta 53.0 G Colless
17. $31.00 Raffaello 52.5 Ms L Cropp
18. $21.00 Border Rebel 53.5 T Bell
Margins: Short neck, 1 3/4 len Time: 1:22.89
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