English to miss Brisbane Winter Carnival, no show for Stradbroke Handicap

Trainer Gai Waterhouse has sent Group 1 winning filly English to the paddock and she will miss the Brisbane Winter Carnival and will be a no show for the Group 1 $1.5m AAMI Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 11.

G1 All Aged Stakes winner English, above, will miss the Brisbane Winter Carnival. Photo by Steve Hart.

G1 All Aged Stakes winner English, above, will miss the Brisbane Winter Carnival. Photo by Steve Hart.

English would have been one of the main chances in the Winter Carnival’s Group 1 sprints and as well as the Stradbroke Handicap, would have been a major force in the $500,000 BTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben on May 14 and in the $750,000 James Boag’s Premium Doomben 10000 (1350m) at Doomben two weeks later.

The Encosta De Lago filly claimed her Group 1 win when she stormed home to beat Black Heart Bart and Kermadec in the $600,000 Schweppes All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on April 16.

Waterhouse insists that there is nothing amiss with English and she will prepare her for the 2016 Spring Carnival after she has a good break.

“She is not injured. This (spelling English) is something I have been thinking about for some time,’’ Waterhouse told The Courier-Mail.

“I will give her a good break in the spelling paddock and she will be back for the spring. I really think that is the best thing for her.’’

English was one of the stars of her two year old season and after winning the Group 2 $300,000 Guinness Reisling Stakes (1200m) at Randwick, went on to run second to stablemate Vancouver in the 2015 Group 1 $3.5m Tooheys New Golden Slipper Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill.

Waterhouse then gave the filly a long break from the racetrack before preparing her for a first win in the Group 2 $500,000 Hyland Race Colours Challenge Stakes (1000m) at Randwick on March 5 during this year’s Sydney Autumn Carnival.

Her other two Autumn Carnival runs resulted in a sixth to Griante in the Group 1 $700,000 Banjo Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill on March 19 and a third behind Chautauqua and Fell Swoop in the Group 1 $2.5m Darley T J Smith Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on the first day of ‘The Championships’ on April 2.

The withdrawal of English from the Stradbroke Handicap sees the Ciaron Maher trained Azkadellia remain at the top of the market order at Ladbrokes.com.au at $4.40, just ahead of the Lee and Anthony Freedman trained Malaguerra at $5 and Darren Weir’s Black Heart Bart at $7.

Early Stradbroke Handicap market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4.40 Azkadellia, $5 Malaguerra, $7 Black Heart Bart, $11 Music Magnate, $12 Counterattack, Fell Swoop, Artlee $13 Le Romain, $15 Ghisoni, Zebulon, $17 Delectation, Charlie Boy, Good Project, Supido, $21 Srikandi, Japonisme, First Seal, Admiral, Lucky Hussler, Suavito, Vashka, Fast ‘N’ Rocking, Stratum Star.

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.