Doomben Racing: 2017 Stadbrokes Handicap Betting Tips

The Stradbroke Handicap is one of three Group 1 races at Doomben this weekend, with a field of 16 runners set to line up over the 1350m.

The Doomben track is currently rated a Good 4 but there is a bit of rain predicted for Saturday so we may see that slightly downgraded at some point.

Given this is a $1.5million Group 1 I think we’ll see plenty of heat on early, especially with the likes of Jungle Edge, Burning Front, Hooked, In Her Time and Mackintosh all likely to go forward.

I think this will be a race where you want to be handy to the pace just ahead of midfield. It’s a difficult track to make a lot of ground on, but there is a fair bit of pace on paper so the leaders may struggle to hold on.

With that in mind, there’s a couple I’m pretty keen on here and I’m happy to take on the favourite Clearly Innocent. He’s going to have to settle near enough to last from barrier 20, and while that’s his usual style of racing, it may be difficult to win by doing that on this track. I think his win in the Kingsford-Smith Cup last start was visually more impressive because he handled the track significantly better than the rest of the field. Back onto a Good track here, I think you’ll see the horses he beat last start give a much better showing.

One of those is Counterattack, who finished 3rd behind Clearly Innocent but didn’t handle the track as expected. From all reports this horse is flying and I think the track conditions here will really suit him. The track won’t be ultra-firm and there will be just enough moisture to really suit him. The pace will set this up for him and from the good barrier he’ll get a very easy run in transit. With luck in the straight, I think this is the one that will be coming over the top of them. He’s a great price around $8.50.

His stablemate Mackintosh is another that I’ll be backing at a similar price. This horse is first up from a spell and he actually beat Counterattack first up over 1300m last prep, although Counterattack was tremendously unlucky that day. Mackintosh is undefeated first up, though, and has won two of his three starts over this distance range. He’s also had two starts at Doomben for two wins. Kerrin McEvoy takes the ride and from barrier 1 they should be able to box seat on a fairly solid tempo, which is exactly where I think you’ll need to be here. I think at the $8 mark he’s a terrific each way bet.

The best value in the race could be In Her Time, who comes into this second up from a spell after finishing 5th, beaten 3L, first up behind Redzel and Counterattack. To finish that close first up from a spell was a terrific effort considering she travelled wide without cover the entire race. When she ran over 1300m last prep she won by by over 2 lengths, and if she can somehow get an economical run from barrier 17 she’ll be right in the finish at big odds.

Ulmann, Derryn and Hooked should all be included, while Jungle Edge will need every bit of rain to fall if he’s to stand a legitimate chance.

Pretty keen on Waller’s two here and will be backing both.

1st COUNTERATTACK
2nd MACKINTOSH
3rd CLEARLY INNOCENT
4th IN HER TIME