The curtain comes down on another successful Stradbroke Season this Saturday at Eagle Farm, with Tattersall’s Tiara Day taking centre stage.
The $700,000 Tattersall’s Tiara headlines the nine-race card, with the fillies and mares feature again serving as the final Australian Group 1 of the racing season.
There is plenty for punters to get stuck into outside the main event, with six black-type races across the program, while the Ladbrokes Battle of the Bush Final gives Queensland’s country gallopers their shot at a big payday in town.
I’ve gone through every race on the Eagle Farm card and provided my tips, best bets and value plays below.
SWORD OF LEGACY (2) is worth another chance after things went pear-shaped in the Listed Queensland Day Stakes.
The Matt Dunn-trained filly raced keenly and was posted wide throughout after drawing the car park, so it is easy enough to forgive the run.
She was also dealt a tough gate two starts back in the Darby McCarthy, where she went back, was held up, and still worked home strongly to finish just under a length away in third.
Three starts ago, she showed what she can do from a kinder draw when settling handy and letting down powerfully to win her maiden over 1000m at this track.
Nash Rawiller takes the ride, and from the low draw, he should be able to have her much closer in the run.
| 2. Sword Of Legacy (5) J: Nash Rawiller 57.5kg x2130 T: Matthew Dunn |
ISTOLEA MERC (13) returned in terrific order last start, and there was a lot to like about the way he won over 1100m at Canterbury.
The Bjorn Baker-trained gelding jumped awkwardly, was bumped early and settled worse than midfield, but still produced a sharp turn of foot to weave through the pack and score by 1.16 lengths.
He strips fitter second-up and the rise to 1200m is a plus, given he has won over the distance previously.
There looks to be no shortage of speed here, which should allow Ash Morgan to settle just off them before launching in the straight.
| 13. Istolea Merc (7) J: Ashley Morgan 58.5kg 423×1 T: Bjorn Baker |
TANNIN (6) could hardly have been more impressive on debut for Michael Freedman.
The well-bred son of Exceed And Excel showed a lovely turn of foot at Gosford, charging past his rivals and winning easily by 1.42 lengths.
The step up to 1400m looks ideal, and Tommy Berry sticking is another positive.
He jumped well on debut before taking a sit to avoid being caught wide, and from a good gate here, Berry should be able to have him settling in a prominent position.
| 6. Tannin (3) J: Tommy Berry 57kg 1 T: Michael Freedman |
PESHWA (4) is back to defend his Ladbrokes Battle Of The Bush Final crown, and he arrives in outstanding form.
The grey was trained by Lindsay Hatch when producing a huge performance to win last year’s Final, having raced wide before being hampered in the straight.
He carried 53kg that day and rises to 56.5kg this time, but that is still much lighter than the weights he has been lumping recently.
Now back with Ben Waldron, the gelding was last seen carrying a hefty 62.5kg to a narrow win over Roll Up in the Cunnamulla qualifier.
Two starts ago, he let down powerfully to win the Quilpie qualifier, so he could hardly be heading to the Final in better order.
The Tommy Berry booking is a serious tick, particularly with many of his rivals set to be ridden by country jockeys.
| 4. Peshwa (2) J: Tommy Berry 56.5kg x3011 T: Ben Waldron |
SUN WORSHIPPER (4) looks a live chance after an eye-catching run in the Listed Ipswich Cup.
The Matt Kropp-trained mare finished strongly there to run 2.39 lengths away in third, and she now gets onto the quick back-up.
That setup clearly suits, as she won the Magic Millions Shootout over this course and distance earlier this year under similar circumstances.
Plenty of her rivals are stepping up from a mile, but she is rock-hard fit after racing over 2000m or further at her past three starts.
Ben Thompson takes the ride, and if he gets her into clear air in the straight, she can give this a big shake.
| 4. Sun Worshipper (6) J: Ben Thompson 56.5kg x6503 T: Matt Kropp |
FUTURE HISTORY (2) looks ready to win after two excellent runs to start the campaign.
Now with Greg Hickman, the eight-year-old gelding resumed in the Group 3 Chairman’s Handicap at Doomben, where he raced wide throughout but still fought on gamely to finish 1.76 lengths away in fourth.
He backed that up in the Group 3 Lord Mayor’s Cup, picking up strongly late to finish a neck third and finishing ahead of Encoder, who subsequently just missed in the Ipswich Cup.
The rise to 2400m suits, and he gets in well under the set weights conditions.
The outside barrier is not ideal, but in a small field without much speed, Nash Rawiller should be able to roll forward and find a suitable position.
| 2. Future History (6) J: Nash Rawiller 56.5kg 14×43 T: Gregory Hickman |
SUN GOD (2) is building nicely and gets his chance to turn the tables on War Eternal.
The Chris Waller-trained gelding resumed at Scone two starts ago and found the line strongly to win the Listed Luskin Star Stakes by a nose.
Last start in the Listed Spear Chief Handicap, he settled near the tail, charged home and hit the front, only for War Eternal to fight back and beat him by a head.
War Eternal is flying and chases a fourth win in a row, but Sun God meets him 2kg better at the weights and should take plenty of improvement third-up.
He will not want the track too wet, but from the draw, he should be able to stalk War Eternal and get every chance.
| 2. Sun God (1) J: Nash Rawiller 58kg 31×12 T: Chris Waller |
MANAAL (3) was stiff not to win the Group 2 Moreton Cup when resuming last start.
The Michael Freedman-trained mare enjoyed a nice run in transit but could not secure clear air in the straight, and when she finally did, she was squeezed inside the final 100m by the eventual quinella horses before finishing 1.23 lengths away in third.
Her second-up record is excellent, with three wins and a second from five starts, and all three victories have come at Group 2 level.
The rise in distance looks ideal, and she won the Group 1 Inglis Sires’ over this trip earlier in her career.
Ben Melham should be able to land in the first half of the field and give her every chance.
| 3. Manaal (8) J: Ben Melham 57kg 229×3 T: Michael Freedman |
OAK HILL (6) was enormous last start in the Group 2 Moreton Cup.
The Team Hayes-trained gelding charged home along the inside in the quickest final 200m of the race, going down by just a neck.
He had very little luck in his two runs prior and should have finished much closer on both occasions.
That was particularly true two starts ago in the Group 3 BRC Sprint, where he came from well back, struck dead ends late when full of running, and finished 2.38 lengths away in seventh.
He maps well from the draw, and if Daniel Stackhouse can have him within striking distance turning for home, he should be right in the finish.
| 6. Oak Hill (3) J: Daniel Stackhouse 57.5kg 08872 T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |