Million-dollar gelding Redford chasing Stradbroke Handicap golden ticket in The Gateway

The owners of million-dollar gelding Redford have some big prizemoney goals for him next year, which starts by winning The Gateway at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Million-dollar gelding Redford can put his name up in lights as a potential 2025 Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap contender by scoring the $300,000 The Gateway at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

The Stuart Kendrick-trained galloper came with a $1.05m pricetag as a yearling and has always had high expectations, being owned by breeding and racing giants Aquis.

The four-year-old son of Snitzel has won four from six starts and could have a bumper season in front of him.

• PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet’s team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW!

Aquis would love to showcase him in a rich race on Gold Coast Magic Millions day in January and there is also the lure of a golden ticket into the Stradbroke next year.

Redford is a $10 chance in The Gateway (1400m) on Saturday and it’s race which offers the winner a ballot exemption into next year’s Stradbroke.

• Numerian to launch Perth campaign in Northerly Stakes

“We definitely have Magic Millions day in mind as he’s an Aquis horse and they would like to have him run on one of those feature days down there on the Gold Coast,” Kendrick said.

“But if he could win a ballot-free entry into the Stradbroke, that would be a great aim going into next year’s winter carnival as well.

“Aquis has to have some big goals and big prizemoney goals with a horse like him.

“With the prizemoney for Magic Millions and obviously then there’s the winter carnival next year, if he can keep stepping up to the mark, that might be what we can aim at.

“They (Aquis) don’t want to just keep ticking over with a horse like this, they want to see him improve and end up in better races.”

Redford is chasing a spot in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap in The Gateway on Saturday. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography

There is also a slot component to The Gateway/Stradbroke conditions.

It means connections of The Gateway winner will have the option to run their own horse or negotiate with other owners and trainers to fill their slot in the 2025 Stradbroke.

If Redford won The Gateway but didn’t emerge as a 2025 winter carnival player, Aquis would have the option to pick another horse in the top 40 order of entry come final Stradbroke acceptances next year.

• Gifted mare set for stakes grade ‘moment’ in Bribie Handicap

That’s a long way off – and Redford firstly has to win on Saturday.

Regardless, Kendrick is certain we have only seen the tip of Redford’s talent and there is much more to come.

“He is a horse who is definitely going to get better next preparation, he is pretty much doing all this on his first preparation for us,” Kendrick said.

Sunshine Coast trainer Stuart Kendrick.

“He is still learning what it is all about.

“And even though he is four, he has still got some thickening and strengthening still to do as well.

“In the race he got beaten in recently, nothing went right.

“After Magic Millions, if he gets that far, and gets into a spell and comes back, he’s going to be a very nice horse in the (2025) winter.”

• ‘Game-changer’: Sports psych helps Group 1 jockey curtail suspensions

Redford has drawn wide in The Gateway but gets the services of champion Brisbane jockey Jimmy Orman.

Tony Gollan trained Transatlantic is the $2.30 favourite after an emphatic win on heavy ground at the Sunshine Coast last start.

Redford began his career with Annabel Neasham, winning at Bathurst and Orange, before being moved on to Kendrick as a gelding.

Originally published as Million-dollar gelding Redford chasing Stradbroke Handicap golden ticket in The Gateway