Kiwi trainer Tony Pike has described The Bostonian’s barrier as ‘perfect’ as he attempts to continue his run of Group 1 wins in the $1.5m Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Michael Cahill, above, will ride The Bostonian in the 2019 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Michael Cahill, above, will ride The Bostonian in the 2019 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm. Photo by Daniel Costello.

The Bostonian is coming off wins in the Group 1 $800,000 Doomben 10,000 (1200m) at Doomben and in the Group 1 $700,000 Kingsford-Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm during the Brisbane Winter Carnival and came up with gate ten when the barriers were drawn at Eagle Farm this morning.

A final field of eighteen will contest the Stradbroke Handicap which also has five emergencies with four of those drawing a barrier inside of The Bostonian which could see him jump from gate six if the field stays intact.

“Perfect gate and everything seems to be going right and he will be in the race for a long way,” Pike said.

“He is flying at the moment. Couldn’t fault his work on Tuesday morning and the barrier, he is probably going to start from gate six if the ballots come.”

The Bostonian is chasing an unprecedented clean sweep of the Brisbane Winter Carnival Group 1 sprints and Pike admits that it is a daunting task facing the Stradbroke Handicap top weight.

“It is going to be a very big effort if he is going to get all three. It has never been done,” Pike said.

The Bostonian is unbeaten from five starts in the Sunshine State after winning three times during the 2018 Queensland Winter Racing Carnival with two victories at the Sunshine Coast in the Listed $125,000 Daybreak Lover (1200m) and in the Group 3 $125,000 Sunshine Coast Guineas (1600m) and sandwiched in between a win in the $75,000 QTIS three year old Plate ($1350m) at Doomben.

“ I don’t know what it is with Queensland, he just loves the place. He was pretty bright and well this morning so really happy. “

Michael Cahill will be aboard The Bostonian again and Pike will leave the riding tactics up to him after two top shelf displays to win the Doomben 10,000 and the Kingsford-Smith Cup.

“That is his job. He knows the horse well, he knows these tracks well and he is going to have some option from that gate as well, so it is going to make his job a bit easier.”

The Bostonian remains as the $4.50 favourite at Ladbrokes.com.au for the Stradbroke Handicap ahead of the the James Cummings trained Trekking at $5.50 and the Gold Coast trained Tyzone at $9.50.

Kerrin McEvoy will again be aboard Trekking who came up with barrier thirteen in the original draw but will jump from gate nine if all of the five emergencies fail to gain a start.

Final field and barrier draw for 2019 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m)

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight
1 1x17525x11 THE BOSTONIAN (NZ) Tony Pike Michael Cahill 10 57kg
2 1230x214x7 HOME OF THE BRAVE (IRE) James Cummings James McDonald 22 56kg
3 14150×1111 DESPATCH Tony McEvoy Barend Vorster 1 54.5kg
4 3222×32101 WIDGEE TURF Patrick Payne Billy Egan 16 54kg
5 21194×4113 TREKKING James Cummings Kerrin McEvoy 13 54kg
6 022055×230 DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR Tony McEvoy Jamie Kah 19 54kg
7 950×504216 ENDLESS DRAMA (IRE) Tony Pike Leith Innes 8 54kg
8 347×522713 SPRIGHT Garry Frazer Glen Boss 15 53.5kg
9 08×1693222 TOM MELBOURNE (IRE) Chris Waller Corey Brown 20 53.5kg
10 9x21145x80 MAN BOOKER Daniel Morton Joe Bowditch 23 53.5kg
11 x4x0x30414 VIRIDINE James Cummings Tim Clark 11 53.5kg
12 19x8x466x3 DEPLOY Gerald Ryan Brenton Avdulla 7 53.5kg
13 x4461x1581 TYZONE Toby Edmonds Tommy Berry 12 53kg
14 17x312x703 I’M A RIPPA Tony Gollan Jeff Lloyd 17 53kg
15 32×0136002 PRINCESS POSH Kris Lees Larry Cassidy 3 52kg
16 125×327449 ENCRYPTION James Cummings Craig Williams 14 52kg
17 3x3124x214 IRITHEA Bjorn Baker Robbie Fradd 18 51kg
18 11x339x51 PRETTY IN PINK John O’Shea Robbie Dolan (a) 2 49.5kg
19e 2114261×26 TACTICAL ADVANTAGE Kris Lees Brenton Avdulla 5 53kg
20e x282123151 STREETS OF AVALON Shane Nichols Zac Spain 9 52.5kg
21e 311×304710 RINGERDINGDING Chris Waller Michael Dee 21 51kg
22e 24311×3401 REDOUBLE Bjorn Baker 6 52kg
23e 148×691009 SIREN’S FURY Jason Coyle Tegan Harrison 4 51kg

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.