The Stradbroke Handicap race is one of the highlights of the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival. The 1400m race is Queensland’s richest race, with a purse of $3 million. Run at Eagle Farm, it attracts some of the year’s best competitors to sprint to the finish. Read more information about the Group 1 horse races at Eagle Farm.
Keep reading to learn more about the Stradbroke Handicap and its history, field, barrier statistics, and betting tips.
Race History
The Stradbroke Handicap race is named after Lord Stradbroke, a relative of Henry John Rous, who devised the weight-for-age scale used in thoroughbred racing.
The race has a long and storied history, with a couple of name and distance changes over the years. The 1990s is considered a golden era for this race, with Rough Habit winning back-to-back before a slew of other famous names took the victory in the years following.
The race is the headline on Stradbroke Day, the biggest day of the Queensland Winter Carnival. Other Group 1 races support it, including the JJ Adkins and The Q22.
Although typically held at Eagle Farm, the Stradbroke was moved to Doomben in 2015, 2017, and 2018 during renovations at the usual track.
Stradbroke Handicap Race Results 2022
Alligator Blood won the Stradbroke Handicap in 2022 with a time of 1:21.73. The five-year-old gelding won by a length, accompanied by jockey Tim Clark.
Here is how the rest of the top four looked.
- 1st: Alligator Blood (J: Tim Clark, T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott)
- 2nd: Private Eye (J: Brenton Avdulla, T: Joseph Pride)
- 3rd: Rothfire (J: Tommy Berry, T: Robert Heathcote)
- 4th: Isotope (J: William Pike, T: Tony Gollan)
Past Winners
Some excellent horses have won the Stradbroke Handicap over the years, including seven who won in consecutive years. Rough Habit and Black Piranha (2009-10) are the two most recent and the only two to do so in the last 70 years.
Daybreak Lover joins the ranks as the eighth horse to win twice, although not back to back.
Other notable winners include Persian Lyric, Campaign King, Santa Ana Lane, and Wiggle.
Here are the winners from the last ten years:
- 2022: Alligator Blood
- 2021: Tofane
- 2020: Tyzone
- 2019: Trekking
- 2018: Santa Ana Lane
- 2017: Impending
- 2016: Under The Louvre
- 2015: Srikandi
- 2014: River Lad
- 2013: Linton
Barrier Draw Statistics
The barrier will be located at Eagle Farm’s 1400m mark. The final draw will be conducted closer to the race after the field has been determined. The handicap sprint means that the barrier has less of an effect than some other races, but the draw could still affect the odds. Keep an eye out before placing bets.
Stradbroke Handicap Winners by Barrier
The most wins have come from barriers three and eighteen, with four each. However, most barriers have seen at least one win.
These are the Stradbroke Handicap winners by barrier since 1983:
| Barrier | Wins |
|---|---|
| 1 | 3 |
| 2 | 0 |
| 3 | 4 |
| 4 | 3 |
| 5 | 2 |
| 6 | 3 |
| 7 | 2 |
| 8 | 2 |
| 9 | 2 |
| 10 | 1 |
| 11 | 1 |
| 12 | 4 |
| 13 | 2 |
| 14 | 2 |
| 15 | 1 |
| 16 | 2 |
| 17 | 2 |
| 18 | 4 |
How to live Stream the 2023 Stradbroke Handicap Race
Spectators can catch the Stradbroke Handicap race online through Racing NSW or their bookmaker’s website, where they can watch after betting.
However, many horse racing enthusiasts prefer to watch the coverage on Channel 7, the home of Winter Carnival Racing. The Stradbroke will also be shown on the 7plus app.
Sky Racing is another alternative for those who prefer paid TV.
Content Summary: The prestigious Stradbroke Handicap is Queensland’s richest race, with a total prize fund of $3 million. The 1400m sprint is held under handicap conditions and attracts a fine field of sprinters, with notable names including Rough Habit. The 2023 edition will take place at Eagle Farm on 10th June, making Stradbroke Day a notable event in the calendar for the Brisbane Winter Carnival.
FAQ
The top questions on the Stradbroke Handicap.
The Stradbroke Handicap will take place on Saturday, 10th June, at Eagle Farm Racecourse in Brisbane. The start time has not yet been determined. Several other events will take place on the same day, Stradbroke Day.
The Stradbroke Handicap has a total purse of $3 million, making it Queensland’s richest race. The amount was increased for 2023, making it the first year sprinters will compete for such a fund.
The Stradbroke Handicap is a 1400m sprint to the finish. Horses tend to race this distance in just under one and a half minutes, with the record being 1:20.2, set by Toledo in 1998.
Learn more about other Group 1 races at Eagle Farm, Brisbane
If you are looking for other group 1 horse races at Eagle Farm, read the pages listed below to get more information.
