In an incredible finish to Queensland’s best race, Bjorn Baker’s three-year-old filly Stefi Magnetica was able to hold off Bella Nipotina thanks to a gun ride by young Zac Lloyd to claim a thrilling victory in the 2024 Stradbroke Handicap results at Eagle Farm.
Zac Lloyd (pictured winning in Sydney) secured his first Group 1 aboard Stefi Magnetica in the 2024 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm. Photo: Steve Hart.
Son of former champion hoop Jeff Lloyd, Lloyd junior secured his maiden elite level win when making a winning move to go up the inside of his rivals and zoom home along the fence aboard Stefi Magnetica in this year’s Group 1 $3 million Stradbroke Handicap (1400m).
“Very, very proud,” the winning jockey’s father told Sky Thoroughbred Central post-race.
“He’s been crying out to win a Group 1. To win it in Queensland, my home town, I couldn’t be prouder.”
It capped off an incredible rise through the ranks for the All Too Hard three-year-old Stefi Magnetica whose latest win was in a Benchmark 58 race at Orange back in December last year.
The progressive filly put in a top run fresh two back on May 18 crossing only 1.48 lengths off Bella Nipotina in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m) before a Group 3 Fred Best Classic (1400m) third at Eagle Farm a fortnight back.
She presented fit third-up and ready to fire in the great Stradbroke race, relishing a drop right back to 50kg in the handicap classic.
“She’s an amazing filly,” stable rep Jim Clarke said when interviewed in place of Baker who is in London for jockey Rachel King’s wedding.
“Bjorn opted to give her a short break and set her for the winter.
“Her run in the 10,000 was amazing.
“An amazing ride there.
“To win Queensland’s greatest race with a filly…trained by one of my best mates is the biggest thrill of my career.”
The eventual winner suffered an early blow drawing out wide in gate 19, but that proved no barrier for Lloyd who got the filly into a lovely position the early stages before reading the race well and taking the cut up the inside.
“It’s amazing,” he said.
“I was very confidence pre-race. We honestly thought we were on the right horse.
“I had to make a decision…and I was travelling so well so I was happy to go up the inside with her.
“She was great.”
Ciaron Maher’s Doomben 10,000 winning mare Bella Nipotina presented the danger charging home on the outside the closing stages having also overcome a horror alley/
She was unable to run down her younger rival however giving away too weight with the top billing of 56kg.
In third completing the Stradbroke Handicap trifecta was the beaten favourite, James Cummings’ Group 2 Moreton Cup winner the weekend prior Vilana who was also brave in defeat.
Stefi Magnetica made history as the first three-year-old filly to win the Stradbroke since La Montagna back in 2006.
She looks set for a big spring carnival now with plenty of elite level options interstate.
2024 Stradbroke Handicap Results & Finishing Order
| Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Penalty | Starting Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17 | STEFI MAGNETICA | Bjorn Baker | Zac Lloyd (a) | 15 | 50kg | $15 | |||
| 2 | 1 | BELLA NIPOTINA | Ciaron Maher | Craig Williams | 0.25L | 17 | 56kg | $11 | ||
| 3 | 6 | VILANA | James Cummings | Tim Clark | 2.35L | 11 | 53kg | $4.80F | ||
| 4 | 9 | THE INEVITABLE | John Keys | Craig Newitt | 3.53L | 6 | 53kg | $26 | ||
| 5 | 10 | AMENABLE | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | Chad Schofield | 4.31L | 13 | 53kg | $9 | ||
| 6 | 12 | OSIPENKO (NZ) | Chris Waller | Mark Du Plessis | 5.21L | 9 | 52.5kg | $41 | ||
| 7 | 8 | NUGGET (GB) | Ciaron Maher | Jason Collett | 5.39L | 8 | 53kg | $14 | ||
| 8 | 4 | BENEDETTA | Jason Warren | Daniel Stackhouse | 5.41L | 4 | 54kg | $13 | ||
| 9 | 15 | DREAM HOUR | Kris Lees | Robbie Dolan | 5.51L | 2 | 51.5kg | $101 | ||
| 10 | 14 | SEMANA | Ciaron Maher | Dylan Gibbons (a) | 5.81L | 18 | 52kg | $21 | ||
| 11 | 18 | ROLL ON HIGH | Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman | Will Price | 5.9L | 10 | 50kg | $26 | ||
| 12 | 3 | ANTINO (NZ) | Tony Gollan | Vlad Duric | 6.03L | 16 | 54.5kg | $7 | ||
| 13 | 16 | STEPARTY | Paul Preusker | Dean Yendall | 8.67L | 3 | 50.5kg | $16 | ||
| 14 | 2 | MAGIC TIME | Grahame Begg | Michael Dee | 9.35L | 7 | 55.5kg | $13 | ||
| 15 | 5 | CEPHEUS (GB) | Matthew Dunn | Tommy Berry | 10.16L | 12 | 54kg (cd 54.5kg) | $61 | ||
| 16 | 13 | MIGHTY ULYSSES (GB) | Annabel Neasham | Damien Thornton | 12.48L | 14 | 52.5kg | $26 | ||
| 17 | 11 | PRINCE OF BOOM | Robert Heathcote | Tyler Schiller | 14.17L | 5 | 52.5kg | $26 | ||
| 18 | 7 | HERE TO SHOCK (NZ) | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | Regan Bayliss | 14.69L | 1 | 53kg | $31 | ||
| 22e | AUREUS ANGEL | Chris Munce | 0 | |||||||
| 23e | CIFRADO | Rex Lipp | 0 | |||||||
| 21e | STRAIT ACER | Edward Cummings | 0 | |||||||
| 19e | FREEDOM RALLY | Tony Gollan | Tyler Schiller | 0 | ||||||
| 20e | YELLOW BRICK | Tony & Maddysen Sears | Kyle Wilson-Taylor | 0 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
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