Stradbroke Handicap Tips & Preview 2023

Looking for Stradbroke Handicap tips and best bets? We dissect times and form to find the winner of the 2023 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm.

STRADBROKE HANDICAP BETTING SNAPSHOT

The last start Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) winner, Think About It, is a $3 favourite with ladbrokes after the barrier draw, ahead of the three-year-old, Hawaii Five Oh, at $5.50. The runner-up out of the Kingsford Smith Cup, Converge, is the only other runner in single figures and is at $7. 

Connections of the second emergency, Opal Ridge, will be hoping she can sneak into the field. The filly is at the $10 quote, while Aft Cabin and Cardinal Gem are both at $12. Royal Merchant ($13) and Yellow Brick ($15) head the rest of the 18-horse field and five emergencies. 

STRADBROKE HANDICAP FORM ANALYSIS

Fine weather is forecast in the lead in to the Straddy’ and we should see a track somewhere near the Good range. Six runners come out of the Kingsford Smith Cup, including the first three past the post. 

Think About It settled forward of midfield and took over with 100m left to go 8.8 lengths faster than standard, a personal best for the Joseph Pride-trained gelding that has won eight of nine. He meets Converge (2nd) and Rothfire (3rd) better at the weights and will take some beating. 

Converge was first up off an eight-week break and might have improvement to come. Rothfire led that day and might have gone a bit hard early. Vilana must be respected and was never really on the track in the Kingsford Smith Cup before running 6th. 

Hawaii Five Oh is the fresh horse on the scene and took out the Fred Best Classic (1400m) at Eagle Farm on May 27 for the three-year-olds. The Waterhouse/Bott galloper settled handy and went 6.4 lengths faster than standard. He drops 7.5kg from that run. 

Opal Ridge was an impressive winner in the Luskin Star Stakes (1300m) at Scone on May 13 and went just 0.7 lengths faster than standard off what was a very slow tempo early on. She can match it with the big guns and went a healthy 11.7 lengths faster than standard earlier this year at Rosehill. 

Best last start benchmark figures belong to the Maher/Eustace-trained Ruthless Dame, who claimed the Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville on May 6. The three-year-old was wide but found plenty at the business end to win in impressive fashion. Chain Of Lightning also comes out of that race and covered ground for 4th. The Peter Moody-trained galloper is 2kg better at the weights for a one length margin. 

Aft Cabin is one of six horses aged three in the 23 that include the emergencies and was 4th behind Giga Kick in the Doomben 10000 (1200m) back on May 13. Don’t mind that form reference and the Godolphin galloper is well and truly in the mix. 

Five horses come out of the BRC Sprint (1350m) that was taken out by Surf Dancer. That horse is not in the field but Dragon Leap (2nd), Cardinal Gem (3rd) and Scallopini (4th) are. Suspect this group will need to produce some improvement to trouble the favoured runners.

STRADBROKE HANDICAP TIPS AND BEST BETS

Interesting to see where they end up in the run but the speed should be genuine with Gentleman Roy, Surf Dancer, Rothfire and Scallopini to go forward, while Palaisipan and Royal Merchant might look to cross from their barriers. Converge might look to tuck in behind that group, while Think About It should be within striking distance from barrier 12 (or eight at this stage without the emergencies). Going with the favourite on the back of his excellent record, while he has risen to every challenge thrown at him thus far. Ruthless Dame is the one that presents a bit of value and might be a bit untapped. Her win was outstanding in the Robert Sangster Stakes and I am keen on a piece at the odds as well.