The Stradbroke Handicap-Queensland Derby meeting will be held at the Eagle Farm on Saturday. The course proper was rated a Good 4 on Thursday and with fine weather in Brisbane leading up to the weekend, Eagle Farm will be racing on a Good surface on raceday.
The first Group 1 race of Saturday’s Brisbane meeting is the J.J.Atkins for 2YOs (Brisbane Race 7, 1600m). New Zealander Sacred Elixir finished off the Sires’ Produce Stakes strongly which suggests the mile will really suit him, however the wide barrier (13) could prove tricky. Sires’ Produce winner Attention looks to have conditions to suit and is the horse to beat once again. This Team Snowden-trained colt seems to be getting stronger while stepping up in distance and the 1600m should suit. Drawn beautifully in barrier 2, Blake Shinn can easily slot Attention just behind the leaders and receive a cushy run in transit. Attention will be the horse they all have to catch.
Grand Prix Stakes winner Mackintosh could have a slight distance doubt in the Queensland Derby (Brisbane Race 8, 2400m) whereas the Darren Weir-trained Howard Be Thy Name is proven at 2400m and therefore is my tip for the 3YO classic. Two starts back, Howard Be Thy Name won the South Australian Derby (2500m) brilliantly before coming from 9th to just miss out in the Grand Prix Stakes last start. Stepping up to 2400m will suit and so will the bigger track at Eagle Farm. Drawn well in gate 2, Brad Rawiller will put Howard Be Thy Name to sleep along the fence mid-field and he will be hard to hold out at the finish.
The 2nd leg of the big Brisbane sprint double, the Stradbroke Handicap (Brisbane Race 9, 1400m), will be a great contest. Top weight Black Heart Bart could be the best horse in the field and he has been in great form with victory in the Group 1 Goodwood Handicap last start. But he also has been allotted a good horse’s weight with 58kg. The only Stradbroke winners carrying similar weight were champions Campaign King and Rough Habit (both carried 58.5kg) so Black Heart Bart is facing a tough task. I am more inclined to look at runners in good form who are down in the weight and Counterattack seems to fit the criteria. Last start, this Waller-trained colt won the Fred Best Classic brilliantly after finished a nose 2nd to Group 1 winner Japonisme in the Arrowfield Stakes. World class jockey Joao Moreira will be on board Counterattack and that’s another plus. From gate 14, Moreira will take the 3YO forward and with only 52.5kg, Counterattack will be hard to catch.
This year’s Queensland Oaks is wide open with $7.00 the field (Brisbane Race 10, 2400m). The Bjorn Baker-trained Imposing Lass has the right form leading into the Oaks and she is the testing material. Imposing Lass started off this campaign with a bang winning three races in a row. She finished 3rd last start in the traditional lead-up in ‘The Roses’. Stepping up to 2400m 5th up is perfect. With a bit of pace in the race, Blake Shinn is likely to sit the filly behind the pace and put her to sleep. After winning his first career Group 1 race in the Doomben 10,000, Baker is set to continue his Group 1 runs with Imposing Lass on Saturday in the Oaks.
By Owens Wong, Editor
