Ciaron Maher declares Ruthless Dame and Royal Merchant better credentialed to win Stradbroke Handicap than Srikandi

Ciaron Maher put his name on the map by winning the Stradbroke in 2015 with Srikandi, but the filly finished third in 2014 first, something he is looking to better with a two-pronged team on Saturday.

Srikandi won the Stradbroke Handicap in her second attempt in 2015. Picture: Jono Searle.

Master trainer Ciaron Maher says his pair of Stradbroke Handicap fillies are better credentialed to win Queensland’s biggest race than Srikandi was when she finished third in 2014.

Maher, who trains in partnership with David Eustace, will saddle up Ruthless Dame and Royal Merchant in the $3m feature on Saturday and says the duo will form a formidable combination.

Srikandi went on a winning streak in Queensland, before finishing third in the Stradbroke, when beaten by River Lad as a three-year-old, then came back 12 months later to win the big race in a breakthrough win for Maher.

Already Group 1 winners in their own right, Maher says Ruthless Dame and Royal Merchant are in a better position to win the Stradbroke than Srikandi was.

“These two fillies are Group 1 winners already, Srikandi ran in it as a three-year-old, but she was right at the very end of her preparation the first year,” Maher said, pointing to their wins in the Goodwood and Robert Sangster in Adelaide over the recent carnival.

“We really targeted it the second year and were able to get it done when she was four.”

Maher will call on the now Hong Kong-based Mick Dee to ride Ruthless Dame at 52.5 kgs, while local hope Ben Thompson will ride Royal Merchant at the same weight.

Ruthless Dame comes off a Group 1 win in the Robert Sangster in Adelaide. Picture: Terry Hann—Atkins Photography.

After finishing second in a heads up-heads down finish to the Group 1 Surround Stakes and winning the Sangster from a wide barrier, Maher says Ruthless Dame is the top pick from his stable to grab his second Stradbroke.

“Ruthless is just a very good filly, she is very sharp and Micky Dee is coming back to ride her,” he said.

“She drops to a lovely weight and has form at the trip, she is probably our top seed.

“The jockey (Tyler Schiller) thought they won the Surround and was unlucky not to beat Jacquinot (in the Manfred Stakes for Jamie Kah) and now she has won a Sangster. She really hasn’t done much wrong.

“Royal Merchant has been an amazing sort of horse, to run two PB’s in her 11th and 12th run, they were very deep in her prep.”

Both runners have been respected by bookmakers, with TAB rating Ruthless Dame an $11 chance, ahead of Royal Merchant at $15 prior to Tuesday’s barrier draw.

Originally published as Ciaron Maher declares Ruthless Dame and Royal Merchant better credentialed to win Stradbroke Handicap than Srikandi