The Stradbroke Handicap isn’t just Queensland’s biggest race — it’s the beating heart of the Sunshine State’s racing calendar and Australia’s premier event of the winter season. Each year, it grows in prestige, prize money, and global attention, evolving into a true celebration of elite thoroughbred talent. The Stradbroke is a proving ground where rising stars become household names and champions are forged.

There’s no denying that War Machine has reached new heights since heading north to Queensland under the guidance of the accomplished Team Hawkes. Just how far this exciting four-year-old has come will be revealed this Saturday in Queensland’s richest and most prestigious race, the $3 million Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm. Adding to the intrigue, Tim Clark, one of Australia’s most experienced big-race jockeys, takes the reigns for the first time aboard War Machine as he has his first crack at the Eagle Farm track. He’ll face off against a stellar field, including the local hero Rothfire, now partnered by James McDonald, who ironically denied Rothfire victory aboard Sunshine In Paris in last month’s Group 1 Doomben 10,000. Among the most consistent threats is Kimochi, to be ridden by Craig Williams. While she’s yet to break through this season, the talented mare has loomed large in every start and looks primed to peak this Saturday.

The Stradbroke headlines an electric program and comes up as Race 8 on a stacked Eagle Farm card that also features the Group 1 JJ Atkins for two-year-olds. The race acts as a season finale for this year’s juvenile stars, with local sensation Cool Archie gunning for his fifth straight win.

In a major boost to the meeting, the World Pool will be active on the Stradbroke and the Group 2 Q22, showcasing the very best of Queensland racing to international wagering markets. This opens up an incredible opportunity for partners to amplify engagement across jurisdictions and be part of Australia’s most thrilling winter race day.

It’s Queensland’s grandest racing moment — a celebration of speed, talent, and drama with an international reach. All eyes will be on Eagle Farm this Saturday. Let’s make it a day to remember.

Please note: South African Quartet Pools with fractional betting offered at Leopardstown, Newbury and Chelmsford City (UK) – 12 June 2025.

Andrew Harrison

Even at 58 years of age there are few of the current rides that can match his ability and plain ‘racing nouse’ when it comes to race-riding. For a jockey to come back after a break of many years and lose in the region of 20kg, it says a lot for the mindset of Andrew Fortune.

He was still puffing some 15 minutes after steering the Yogas Govender-trained Moscow Miss to a narrow victory over Chad Little and Flying South in the first at Hollywoodbets Greyville yesterday with the runner up denied by a nostril.

It is not often that one sees Fortune as animated in the saddle as he was on Moscow Miss but when the chips are down he is seldom on the wrong end of a tight finish having ‘won’ the race a long way out.

Prince Florian made short work of his rivals in the second as Dean Kannemeyer’s charge finished with a flourish and The Golden Goal a long way back in second. Prince Florian had shown his better form over a couple of furlongs further but he out-classed this field. Seemingly under pressure crossing the subway he gradually built up momentum to win going away.

There was drama at the start as Time Will Tell jumped sideways out of the gate into Sun In My Pocket and giving Deryl Daniels a tase of the poly.

 Those stalwart punters that stayed faithful to Cherry Oh Baby were finally rewarded in the third. Sporting quarter-cup blinkers for the first time, she was given a confident ride by Callan Murray and came through to edge out rank outsider Canyoudothehula. Lemon Thyme was awkward out of the gate but had every chance.

The name Kitchakal is not one that you will find in any dictionary as it is a combination of names, Anneke Kitching and her mother Anita Akal who have been gracing the finishing line of all the KZN racecourses for decades. Anita is a legend in her own right and Anneke was totting cameras from when she was allowed on course.

Their pride and joy in the Hollywood Racing silks lumbered 61kg to victory in the fourth as Duncan Howells kept faith with his charge and Murray scoring back-to-back wins in the absence of a suspended Sean Veale.

 It was an afternoon of mixed fortune for visiting Fanie Bronkhorst after Time Will Tell unseated Daniels but Azaleas For All  paid for the trip from Gauteng with a hard-fought win, Gavin Lerena pulling out all the stops to get her home ahead of a late charging Ideal Gift.

David Thiselton

Warren Kennedy has revealed he will be riding The Fabian Habib-trained Gr 1 TAB SA Classic winner Confederate in the Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Durban July.

Warren revealed that a lot of top jockeys take the winter months of June and July off in New Zealand due to the ultra heavy going and consequent lower class of racing.

He is coming out here for a holiday witth his family and will be arriving in the country this weekend and will only be arriving in Durban a week later.

He said he might ride in one meeting before the Hollywoodbets Durban July meeting.

He should get plenty of other rides on Hollywoodets Durban July day.

Confederate, a Moutonshoek-bred Fire Away gelding, is quoted at 33/1 by the sponsor of the Hollywoodbets Durban July.

He has not raced beyond 1800m as he was scratched from his intended start in the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 for an elevated TCO2 reading.

However, his maiden Danehill Dancer dam is out of a Sadlers Wells mare and she was placed twice in the UK over the July distance. However, she herself has produced mainly speesters. so that creates a bit of doubt about his stamina capacity, especially as Confederate has been taken to the front in his recent starts, including in the SA Classic, which he won from start to finish.

Other jockey declarations for the big race so far are all of partnerships that were expected i.e. Muzi Yeni on the Nathan Kotzen-trained Royal Victory, Craig Zackey on The Dean Kannemeyer-trained The Real Prince and Calvin Habib on the Alec Laird-trained Atticus Finch.

David Thiselton

Summerveld trainer Frank Robinson said his Gr 3 Hollywoodbets Dolphins Cup Trial winner Madison Valley had come out of the victory well and he also had news about his Gr 3 Tote Derby runner Field Marshal. 

He said, “Madison Valley took it very well, that night he never left an oat. The next morning he looked very good and I think he will have come on from the run.”

Madison Valley looks to be a certainty to make the final field as he was 15^th on the Hollywoodbets Durban July log released on Tuesday (see log at bottom of article).

Robinson runs the three-year-old Lancaster Bomber gelding Field Marshal in the Gr 3 Tote Derby on Saturday and whilst he is not a Hollywoodbets Durban July entry he could have an affect on the big race because two borderline July entries are involved, Future Swing and Holding Thumbs.

The latter pair will be out to win the race to ensure a berth in the July, but the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup winner Field Marshall could throw a spanner in those works.

He said, “Field Marshal is spot on, he is an improving horse. I think I will run him in the July consolation race after this.”  

Frank said Shoot The Rapids, who will run in the Gr 3 Gold Vase on Hollywoodbets Durban July day was in a “very good space.”

The Erupt gelding lost narrowly to Madison Valley in last year’s Gold Vase and he was an unlucky second in the Gold Cup too, so he should be a big runner in this year’s Gold Vase.

Cats Pajamas runs in the Gr 2 Post Merchants on July day and Frank expected a big run, despite his well below par performance in the Gr 1 Golden Horse Sprint.

Frank said on the day the low drawn horses were having severe traffic problems as all the horses were drifting over, so they had decided to run Cats Pajamas against his normal hold up tactics and sent him forward. However, it was proven that he needs to be left alone and he simply did not enjoy those tactics. Franks also believes he is a better horse at Hollywoodbets Greyville, the scene of his Gr 2 Umkhomazi Stakes win over the Post Merchants 1200m course and distance.