Ace Victorian horseman Darren Weir is tipped to have a three horse contingent in the Stradbroke Handicap 2017 field at Doomben on Saturday and he rates Burning Front as a genuine lightweight chance in the Group 1 for the stable.
Burning Front will gallop on Tuesday morning looking to earn a 2017 Stradbroke Handicap confirmation from trainer Darren Weir ahead of Saturday’s Group 1 in Brisbane. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
This season’s $1.5 million Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1350m) runs at Doomben Racecourse over a decreased distance after the move from the controversial Eagle Farm track and has a capacity of 16 starters due to the transfer.
Three of the runners will be from the Weir camp if all goes to plan with Burning Front to be ed in the line-up by four-year-old Street Cry stallion Rageese and BRC Sprint third placegetter Ulmann who will be ridden by the race’s 2012 winning hoop Luke Nolen.
Sebring five-year-old Ulmann is tipped as the best of the trio according to the latest all-in Stradbroke Handicap odds at Ladbrokes.com.au paying $9 in futures markets led by the Kingsford Smith Cup winner Clearly Innocent ($4).
After a disappointing 11th to Deploy at Doomben in last Saturday’s Group 2 Moreton Cup (1200m), Rageese is the $34 outsider for Weir, but will enjoy the extra metres with a strong record over the distance (9-4-1-0).
Burning Front meanwhile pays $17 in the latest pre-field Stradbroke Handicap betting markets having won seven of his past eight starts.
The Primus six-year-old was last seen taking out the Group 3 RA Lee Stakes (1600m) at Morphettville on May 20 carrying 57.5kg to victory.
He has not carried under 56kg since a second at Flemington over 1400m back in December of 2015 and so will relish coming back in kilos for the Stradbroke Handicap.
Burning Front is currently allocated 53kg for the Group 1 where he’ll be racing over less than a mile for the first time since a four length romp home over 1300m at Wangaratta on March 5.
Weir will 100% confirm the Stradbroke Handicap target for Burning Front after seeing how the horse gallops at Coleraine on Tuesday morning.
“He gets in with little weight and is a fit horse,” Weir told AAP.
“He’s not going to get too many chances to run in a race like this again.”
Also galloping at Coleraine on Tuesday morning looking to earn a Stradbroke Handicap Day run is Weir’s Queensland Derby hopeful Mongolian Wolf.
The Pluck gelding was a one-time favourite in futures markets for the $600,000 Group 1 Queensland Derby, run over 2200m this season, after the Kiwi import’s Group 3 Frank Packer Plate (2000m) win in the wet at Randwick on April 15.
Things went amiss last time out on May 13 at Caulfield however when Mongolian Wolf put in a disappointing effort running 11th over 2000m.
“He went terrible,” Weir said.
“It was possibly the wrong way to ride him.
“We probably should have let him be out the back, lob along and let him run home, but we took up a position thinking we could win the race and it didn’t work out.”
Damian Lane is on standby for the Queensland Derby ride on Mongolian Wolf, while Weir also has his SA Derby winner Volatile Mix and Rockstar Rebel targeting the Group 1.
Check out all the latest Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival odds and offers online now at Ladbrokes.com.au.
