Maher Hoping Srikandi Can Take A Sit In Stradbroke Handicap

Srikandi has led from the front in the majority of her race wins to date, but trainer Ciaron Maher is hoping that the talented filly can take a sit just behind the leaders in the 2014 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Srikandi is chasing her sixth straight victory when she makes her Group 1 debut in the 2014 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm this weekend.

Srikandi is chasing her sixth straight victory when she makes her Group 1 debut in the 2014 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm this weekend.

Srikandi took up the running to win both the Listed Silk Stocking (1200m) at the Gold Coast on May 3 and the Group 3 Glenlogan Park Stakes (1350m) at Doomben on May 24, as well as her two race wins at Mornington and Sandown, but Maher told Sky Sports Radio at Breakfast With The Stars this morning that both Craig Williams and Glen Boss believes that the daughter of Dubawi will perform at her best when given the opportunity to sit behind the leaders in her races.

“Craig Williams rode her early in her early starts and Glen has since rode her when she has been up here and both of them have said that she be would be better ridden with a sit,” Maher said.

“If you see the way that she worked today, she sat off a horse and really chased it down and then probably pricked her ears a little on the line.

“I’d say that he would like to be one out and one back in the box seat with a bit of cover.”

Srikandi has suffered just one defeat in seven starts since making her racing debut, narrowly going down to Pilly’s Wish in The Drain Man Handicap (1000m) at Moonee Valley on February 28, and Maher believes that the three-year-old is unlucky not to be defending an unbeaten record in the Stradbroke Handicap.

Maher has been delighted with the way that Srikandi has stepped-up at each start this preparation and believes that his star filly will perform well in the Stradbroke Handicap no matter what conditions are thrown up at Eagle Farm this weekend.

“She has just thrived since she has come up here and she just keeps raising the bar every time that we send her out to the track,” Maher said.

“The horse that beat her when she did get beat at the Valley, she has since raced that horse a couple of times and it was probably just a bit of greenness that beat her that time around.

“She is very progressive and just keeps raising the bar.

“She has raced forward from outside barriers, she has taken a sit, she has raced on firm tracks, she has raced on wet tracks and she is very adaptable.

“Whatever conditions and whatever track doesn’t seem to worry her.

“It is great peace of mind to me.”

Srikandi ($4.60) is currently on top of 2014 Stradbroke Handicap betting markets from Rebel Dane ($6.50), Hucklebuck ($7), Red Tracer ($8.50), Spirit Of Boom ($9) and Knoydart ($10).

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.