Stradbroke Handicap switch to Doomben will favour In Her Time

High class mare In Her Time will be favoured by the switch from Eagle Farm to Doomben of the Group 1 $1.5m Stradbroke Handicap (1350m) on June 10.

The Doomben track will suit In Her Time, above, in the Stradbroke Handicap. Photo by Steve Hart.

The Doomben track will suit In Her Time, above, in the Stradbroke Handicap. Photo by Steve Hart.

This Saturday’s Queensland Oaks meeting and the Stradbroke Handicap meeting the following week have been transferred to Doomben by Racing Queensland following widespread condemnation of the substandard Eagle Farm track on Group 1 Kingsford-Smith Cup Day last Saturday.

In Her Time has the benfit of one run at Doomben and Newcastle trainer Ben Smith was happy with the effort when fifth to Redzel in the Group 1 $700,000 James Boag’s Premium Doomben 10000 (1200m) at Doomben on May 13.

“Now they’ve moved to Doomben, it’s better for us,” Smith told AAP.

“It was a very good run in the 10,000. She was three-four deep the whole way with no cover. If we can draw a good alley, and back to handicap conditions, I think she’ll be much better suited.”

In Her Time was a two times Group 2 winner during the 2017 Sydney Autumn Carnival with victories in the $200,000 China Horse Club Breeders Classic (1200m) at Randwick and in the $200,000 Ranvet Millie Fox Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill.

The four year old mare then finished fifth in her first Group 1 outing to Heavens Above in the $600,000 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill ion March 11.

Smith said that it had been a long term plan to head to Brisbane for the Stradbroke Handicap and her winning Autumn form confirmed her ticket north.

“It was always the plan six months ago to go to the Stradbroke,” Smith said.

In Her Time has been allocated 52kg for the Stradbroke Handicap but the weights are certain to be raised 1.5kg after Black Heart Bart, who was given the top weight of 58.5kg, was announced as a non-runner.

Last Saturday’s Kingsford-Smith Cup winner Clearly Innocent looks likely to carry the mandatory top weight of 57kg when the weights are raised at acceptance time after being originally handicapped with 55.5kg.

In early betting for the Stradbroke Handicap at Ladbrokes.com.au In Her Time has been listed as a $15 chance with Clearly Innocent the $4.40 favourite ahead of Kingsford-Smith Cup placegetters Counterattack at $8 and Jungle Edge at $10.

Early market order for the Stradbroke Handicap at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4.40 Clearly Innocent, $8 Counterattack, $10 Jungle Edge, $11 Derryn, Impending, Ulmann, $15 Burning Front, In Her Time, Mackintosh, New Universe, $17 Tactical Advantage, $21 Bonny O’Reilly, Eckstein, Splurge, The Virginian, $26 Egyptian Symbol, Fabrizio, Gold Symphony, Rageese, Religify, $31 or better the rest

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.