Stradbroke Handicap preview & betting strategy | June 10, 2023

This Saturday marks the 129th running of the Stradbroke Handicap, with a full field of 18 runners expected to take their place at Eagle Farm. With a massive $3 million on offer, the 1400m feature is considered the premier race of the Queensland Winter Carnival. This year’s edition is shaping to be the best in some time, as the field includes six Group 1 winners and several more Group 1 placegetters.

Stradbroke Handicap 2023 betting odds

After claiming his maiden Group 1 victory in the Kingsford Smith Cup, Think About It has opened as a clear $3 favourite with online bookmakers. Fred Best Classic winner Hawaii Five Oh sits on the second line of betting at $5, with Ruthless Dame ($9) and Converge ($9.50) rounding out the remaining runners under double figures.

Stradbroke Handicap 2023 speed map

With a full field of 18 runners, expect a solid tempo to be set by the likely leading duo of Surf Dancer and Rothfire, closely followed by Holyfield and Gentleman Roy. Jumping from inside barriers, Hawaii Five Oh, Vilana and Scallopini will look to hold prominent positions. With a solid speed being set by the leaders, the likes of Think About It, Ruthless Dame, Cardinal Gem and Aft Cabin will enjoy the tempo before swooping down the outside in the concluding stages.

Continue reading for HorseBetting’s top selections and $100 betting strategy for the Stradbroke Handicap 2023.

Stradbroke Handicap 2023 preview & form

We were with Think About It when he won the Kingsford Smith Cup, and we don’t see any reason to jump off him now. The Joseph Pride-trained gelding was way too good for his rivals in that race, settling three wide for the entire 1300m trip and then claiming the leaders with 200m and putting them away within 100m. This son of So You Think has now won six on the bounce, with his first two wins this campaign ranking among his best. The four-year-old gelding will drop 5kg, which is the equal most of any runner coming out of the Kingsford Smith, so there is a good argument to say that he should be beating his rivals from that race again on Saturday. The one query is that he has drawn barrier 12 and may get caught three wide once again, and if he does, the effects of tough back-to-back runs may take a toll on him late in the piece.

After running second in the Kingsford Smith, Converge will be second-up from an eight-week freshen as he seeks his third Group 1 victory. Adrian Bott said his four-year-old gelding was completely screwed down for his first run in Queensland, but that effort suggests he is much more forward than his co-trainer thought. This son of Frankel drew barrier one and took runs along the inside rail to finish off strong, losing to Think About It by 0.78 lengths on the line. Second-up last preparation, this gelding finished third behind Anamoe and Fangirl in the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes over 1500m, which is far better form than any of his rivals in this. If we know anything about Waterhouse & Bott runners, it is that they get their horses ready to peak at the right time, and if this guy brings that George Ryder form, he will give this race a big shake.

Cardinal Gem has been on this path for a long time now, with trainer Grahame Begg claiming the four-year-old gelding was his Stradbroke Handicap horse at the back end of 2022. Since then, this gelded son of Choisir has jumped every hurdle Begg has thrown at him, claiming Group 3 and Listed victories before taking the trip to Queensland to run in the Group 3 BRC Sprint. He drew the carpark there and was made to travel three and four wide for the entire trip, running on gamely to finish third – beaten by just under a length. The reason we have him outside our top two is that he hasn’t raced in Group 1 company before, he has never won on a Good track (the rating expected on Saturday), and he is coming to the end of a long preparation.

Of the three-year-old crop, the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Ruthless Dame stands out with only 52.5kg on her back. This filly was very good in the Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes at Morphettville last start, where she flew home from the back of the field to defeat Another Award and Zapateo by just under a length. At her only start over 1400m, the daughter of Tavistock finished second in a driving finish with Sunshine In Paris, In Secret and Zougotcha in the Group 1 Surround Stakes, where she closed the strongest of the four but didn’t get the bob on the line.

Stradbroke Handicap 2023 selections & best bets

• 9

  THINK ABOUT IT

• 5

  CONVERGE

• 10

  CARDINAL GEM

• 14

  RUTHLESS DAME

More horse racing tips