Eagle Farm tips and race preview, Stradbroke Handicap day, Saturday, June 6, 2020

The Stradbroke Handicap is the biggest race on the Queensland calendar and this year’s edition is an enticing betting proposition even if the Queensland Winter Carnival has been cut back because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Saturday’s Stradbroke Handicap meeting features two Group 1 races: the 1400-metre Stradbroke and the JJ Atkins for two-year-olds which will also be run over 1400m this year.

The JJ Atkins is usually run over the 1600m but was reduced this year because of changes to the lead-up races.

---

---

The meeting at Eagle Farm , a grand old course which has hosted so many wonderful moments for more than 150 years, also features the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate and the listed Mick Dittman Plate, both for three-year-olds as well as strong support races.

Read on for our free Eagle Farm tips and preview of the feature races, the Stradbroke Handicap and J.J. Atkins, plus other tips from the meeting being run on June 6, 2020.

Eagle Farm, race 6, Rough Habit Plate, 2.15pm local time (2200m)

The lightly raced 3.Supergiant is a free-going type which caused a boilover in winning the Group 3 Gunsynd Classic at this track a fortnight ago, leading all the way. The presence of southern raider 4.Navy Cross could be problematic as this beautifully bred gelding is also a speedy type and may well pester Supergiant for the lead, which could make the race for the favourite 1.Ballistic Boy. 11.Marakopa from the Waller stable has gradually improved and might be ready to go to a new level over this distance.

Our tip: Ballistic Boy ($2.80 with Unibet) is a model of consistency and the promise of a solid tempo means he should be able to slot in from his wide gate about midfield. He will be running on powerfully.

Eagle Farm, race 7, JJ Atkins, 2.55pm local time (1400m)

Reduced to 1600m but looms as a cracking edition of this race which has become something of a stallion-making race in the past few years. The 2018 winner The Autumn Sun shapes as one of the next big things in Australian breeding. 1.Rothfire is an outstanding speedster which has won five of his six starts with one second but our concern here is that he may have to be used up a little to lead from gate 14. That may tell at his first try out to 1400m. The filly 14.Macroura has improved with every start and is unbeaten after three runs. She will get all the favours from gate 2. 3.Wisdom Of Water is an exciting prospect facing his biggest test, while 17. Isotope will get back and has not done anything wrong to date.

Our tip: Macroura looks great value at around $7 with Unibet. If there is to be a blowout result, 11.Overlord is a maiden colt and may well be better given more time to mature, but has plenty of ability and should be rocketing home out wide on the expansive Eagle Farm track.

Eagle Farm, race 8, Stradbroke Handicap, 3.35pm local time (1400m)

The big one and despite the tough biosecurity measures in place in Australian racing, it’s a strong edition of the great Queensland sprint. We struck paydirt as 16.Dawn Passage won his way into the Stradbroke field with a win at Doomben last Saturday. He is the favourite for the Group 1 too, but has come up with barrier 23. He will push forward and the colt’s chances could well be decided in the first 200m. If he can get across and sit outside the pace without having to burn too much petrol he could well burst clear on the turn. 1.Trekking won this race last year and is fresh off winning the Group 1 Goodwood Handicap in Adelaide. He is a class sprinter but must carry 4kg more than last year. It’s such an open race. 5.Victorem has a devastating turn of foot, while 17.Hightail should get the perfect run from gate 5 and 18.Exhilarates is a real winner which ran on well behind Dawn Passage. She will be the one storming down the outside of the track in the dying stages.

Our tip: 16.Dawn Passage. He did the right thing by us last week and could be on the way to becoming one of the top sprinters in the country.

Eagle Farm, race 9, Mick Dittman Plate, 4.15pm local time (1000m)

Bookies have this 1000m dash pegged as a match race between 5.Niedorp and 7.Aquitaine from the Godolphin team. We tend to agree with them but are a little wary of 8.Sugar Boom, a stablemate of Niedorp’s from the team of Queensland’s top trainer Tony Gollan. Blink and you will miss it here as they will scorch early.

Our tip: Aquitaine is around $3.20 with Unibet and we think she could measure up in better company some time down the track.

Thanks for reading our Eagle Farm tips. If you want to see more racing previews from our experts, support us by opening an account at one of our partner betting sites.

Relevant news