Hobby trainer Craig Cousins seeks redemption with The Inflictor at Eagle Farm as he reflects on Stradbroke heartbreak

The fairytale story didn’t go to script for The Inflictor in the Stradbroke Handicap but the cult horse will be back at Eagle Farm on Saturday for redemption.

Hobby trainer Craig Cousins couldn’t bear to watch the standard replays of the $3m Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap after the story of cult galloper The Inflictor didn’t follow the fairytale script.

In a magical Stradbroke week that left the 60-year-old truck driver mentally and physically exhausted after being sought after by almost every media outlet on the eastern seaboard, Cousins was left feeling flat after The Inflictor finished 11th in Queensland’s premier race two weeks ago.

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The Ben, JD and Will Hayes-trained War Machine ended up convincingly winning the Stradbroke ahead of Queenslander Yellow Brick and Sydney star Private Eye.

Four-year-old gelding The Inflictor will be back on Saturday at Eagle Farm for a crack at the $160,000 Listed Tattersall’s Mile, with Rachel King on board after his regular rider Cejay Graham copped a two-week suspension on Stradbroke day that she is still serving.

King and Graham are close friends and used to live together when Graham was travelling regularly between her home town Port Macquarie and Sydney, where she was apprenticed to leading trainers Peter and Paul Snowden.

War Machine WINS the G1 Stradbroke Handicap! 🏆

Tim Clark with a flawless performance in the saddle! pic.twitter.com/oDuyB1gLJN

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 14, 2025

• Keeping up with the Jones’: From outback to Group 1 big smoke

“I’m still a truck driver,” Cousins joked this week when contacted by Racenet.

“At least he (The Inflictor) showed me that he’s up to Group class because he had no luck whatsoever in the Stradbroke.

“It was a hard watch. I haven’t even seen the replay, although I watched a couple of drone replays.

“Nash (Rawiller on Private Eye) cut him off early and the horse checked himself.

“He had no racing room whatsoever after that but the positives I took out of it is that he’s up to competing on that level and he certainly didn’t disgrace himself.

“That was the anticlimax to a great week. It was hard to take on the day.

“We were going out to The Star (casino) afterwards and I just couldn’t go. It took the wind out of my sails, put it that way. It was a big fortnight, geez I had some interviews.”

It stung even more that the Stradbroke prizemoney went down to 10th place ($36,000) so The Inflictor’s connections were left out of pocket on the day but ahead overall, with the gelding earning almost $500,000, winning six out of his 23 races.

The Stradbroke Handicap didn’t go to plan for hobby trainer Craig Cousins and The Inflictor. Picture: Lachie Millard

Cousins said he was happy with drawing the widest barrier (14) for the Tatt’s Mile on Saturday because $4 favourite The Inflictor could “float across at his own steam”.

“I think Rachel will suit him,” the trainer said.

“I booked her on the Sunday after the Stradbroke once Cejay was suspended. She’s excited to be on.”

Cousins said The Inflictor would have a three-week break after the Tatt’s Mile before being targeted for some Group races in Sydney, although he was yet to map out a firm plan.

“If you try to give him a two-month spell then he gets the sulks,” he said.

“I’ve had a look at the Racing NSW diary and I couldn’t really cement anything but I definitely want to go to Sydney with him.

“He’ll be a better horse next prep and he’s been going like an absolute treat since the Stradbroke.

“He worked enormous on Tuesday so all I’ll say is that they’ll want to be on their bikes (in the Tatt’s Mile).”

Originally published as Hobby trainer Craig Cousins seeks redemption with The Inflictor at Eagle Farm as he reflects on Stradbroke heartbreak