Saturday's A$1.5 million Stradbroke H., the headline event of the Brisbane winter carnival, has drawn a full field of 18, with G1 Queen Of The Turf S. winner Azkadellia (NZ) (Shinko King {Ire}) favoured to best the boys. The 4-year-old has done little wrong since the turn of the calendar last August, finishing on the board in all 11 starts. Turning heads when third behind Winx (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}) in the G1 Doncaster H. on day one of The Championships at Randwick Apr. 2, the dark bay bounced back a week later to record a breakthrough Group 1 win in the Queen Of The Turf. She was second as the favourite in the G1 Doomben 10,000 May 28 and is reunited on Saturday with leading rider Damien Oliver, under whom she won the Queen Of The Turf.
“Ollie will be back on board, he's got a great record on the horse and just seems to gel with her so we're rapt to have him back on,” trainer Ciaron Maher told Radio RSN. The conditioner said Azkadellia has been in good order since her last outing.
“She's had a couple of days at the beach and just had an easy trot and canter [on Tuesday],” Maher added. “She needed a good strong hit-out like that. I couldn't be happier with the way she has come through the run and Eagle Farm will probably suit her better as well.”
Azkadellia gets up to eight-pounds from her rivals, but the presence of horses like the top-weighted Black Heart Bart (Aus) (Blackfriars {Aus}) won't make her task easy. That 5-year-old gelding has turned a new leaf since joining in-form trainer Darren Weir earlier this year, finishing first or second in all four outings, and earned his maiden Group 1 win last out in the 1200-metre G1 Darley Goodwood S. May 21. He has won five times at this trip. Malaguerra (Aus) (Magnus {Aus}) is another who has done little wrong this campaign, and he too captured his first Group 1 last-out in Doomben's G1 BTC Cup over 1200 metres May 14. He prepped for this with a winning trial at the Gold Coast a week ago and at 123 pounds, carries five pounds fewer than he did in the BTC Cup. He has won twice over this trip.
The 3-year-old Counterattack (Aus) (Redoute's Choice {Aus}) took the G3 Fred Best Classic at Doomben last time May 21, and coming from the Chris Waller stable, he has shown his ability to tangle with the best. He finished third in last year's G1 Coolmore Stud S. and was second behind that race's winner, Japonisme (Aus) (Choisir {Aus}), in the G2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint Apr. 9. He gets in at 116 pounds and gets the services of international riding sensation Joao Moreira.
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