Gun mares Kimochi, Stefi Magnetica, Magic Time head futures market for 2025 Stradbroke Handicap

If the TAB’s first market for this year’s Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap proves correct, it’s going to be a girls’ day out at Eagle Farm.

Gun mares (from left) Kimochi, Stefi Magnetica and Magic Time head the TAB's first market for this year's Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap.

Sydney trainer Gary Portelli is confident Kimochi can “match motors” with any horse in this year’s Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap but says he’ll have a better gauge on his talented mare after Saturday’s All Aged Stakes at Randwick.

TAB today released its Stradbroke Handicap market, with Rupert Clarke hero Kimochi, Doncaster Mile winner Stefi Magnetica and defending All Aged champion Magic Time all listed at $11 to win the prestigious major over 1400m at Eagle Farm on June 14.

Bosustow, Coleman, Far Too Easy, Freedom Rally and Here To Shock are next on the line at $15.

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In Saturday’s Group 1 All Aged Stakes, Kimochi will lock horns with TAB favourite Briasa ($3.60), Jimmysstar ($6), Joliestar ($6.50), Broadsiding ($7) and Magic Time ($12).

Kimochi is paying $15 to win the $1.5m major.

“We’ll know more after Saturday’s race but certainly she can match motors with those horses (Stefi Magnetica and Magic Time),” Portelli said.

“I’m not sure what kind of weight she’s going to get (in the Stradbroke). Stefi’s a pretty handy horse but so is mine.”

Portelli said jockey Nash Rawiller would likely take up a forward position early in the All Aged Stakes after Kimochi drew barrier 10.

Kimochi has had a tumultuous preparation after suffering a foot injury while spelling after her victory in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield in the spring.

Kimochi does enough late to hit the front for her maiden Group One win in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes! 🙌@[e-mail]/B7ZMus0UTP

— Racing.com (@Racing) November 16, 2024

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“She copes with a lot of racing,” Portelli said.

“When she won the Rupert Clarke she was deep into her campaign.

“She can really hold her form deep into a prep. It won’t worry me when we get up there (to Brisbane) and she races during the Queensland Winter Carnival.

“She’s only third-up this weekend. We’ll probably go Doomben 10,000, Stradbroke, I’m not quite sure which way yet, but that’s certainly not very deep into the prep for her.”

Portelli said he loved getting up to the Sunshine State for winter, despite the controversial scratching of his 2023 Queensland Oaks hot favourite Fireburn after vets ruled the 2022 Golden Slipper champion to be lame during a pre-race inspection.

“Hopefully I can run a race in the Oaks this year and not get scratched,” he joked.

In other TAB markets, super sprinter Overpass is the $6 favourite for the $1.5m Doomben 10,000 (1200m) on May 17 ahead of $8 elects Jimmysstar, Schwarz and Sunshine In Paris while Kimochi is $15.

In the 2000m Doomben Cup the following week, Buckaroo is a $3.50 favourite, with the Tony Gollan-trained Antino at $4.50 and Pride Of Jenni, Fawkner Park and Royal Patronage at $6.

TAB’s Queensland Winter Carnival futures markets

STRADBROKE HANDICAP (June 14)
$11 Stefi Magnetica, Kimochi, Magic Time
$15 Bosustow, Coleman, Far Too Easy, Freedom Rally, Here To Shock, Olentia, Ostraka, Private Eye, Transatlantic, West Of Africa, Yellow Brick
$26+ others quoted

DOOMBEN 10,000 (May 17)
$6 Overpass
$8 Jimmysstar, Schwarz, Sunshine In Paris
$11 Headwall
$15 Benedetta, Coleman, Commemorative, Front Page, General Salute, Kimochi, Private Eye
$26+ others quoted

DOOMBEN CUP (May 24)
$3.50 Buckaroo
$4.50 Antino
$6 Pride Of Jenni, Fawkner Park, Royal Patronage
$8 Lindermann
$11 Kovalica
$15+ others quoted

Originally published as Gun mares Kimochi, Stefi Magnetica, Magic Time head futures market for 2025 Stradbroke Handicap