Stradbroke Handicap 2016: Under The Louvre digs deep to snare Group 1 feature at Eagle Farm
TAB BIG BETS: NOT even an early crow was enough to stop former bridesmaid Under The Louvre from landing Queensland racing’s greatest prize at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
NOT even an early crow was enough to stop former bridesmaid Under The Louvre from landing Queensland racing’s greatest prize at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
The fast-finishing five-year-old boasted eight wins and $760,000 in earnings before Saturday’s rich sprint, but he is more renowned for his 13 minor placings, which had led to a 440-day winning drought prior to Saturday.
Trainer Robert Smerdon had lined up the Stradbroke for some time and said it was another of Under The Louvre’s defeats that led to his big-race success at Eagle Farm.
“If he wins the Goodwood in Adelaide, he doesn’t win today,” Smerdon said. “He met Black Heart Bart 2kg better for a half-length defeat and that was the difference.
“It was funny, in the Goodwood he met every horse better under the set weights and penalty conditions except the winner and that’s the way the race panned out. That loss meant the weight turnaround today.”
Smerdon put the Stradbroke success among his biggest highlights in racing, declaring it is a race that captures the attention of racing people across the country.
“This is a huge thrill,” he said. “It’s Queensland’s greatest race and even when you’re not here, it’s a race you always stop to watch. It has a great history and a lot of prestige associated with it.”
As the race unfolded, Smerdon feared fellow trainer Bevan Laming, a Stradbroke winner with St. Basil in 2005, may have jinxed him.
Laming told Smerdon “you’re home” as Under The Louvre got to Black Heart Bart halfway down the straight before the WA-owned gelding dug in for the fight.
“He went the early crow and told me it’s home,” Smerdon said. “Knowing 1400m is the outer limit for the horse, I very nearly stomped on his foot. Thankfully, he was right.”
Winning jockey Dwayne Dunn said his pre-race plan worked out to perfection.
“I’ve been coming up quite a few years and been competitive without winning, so it was fantastic to be able to win a race like this and hopefully I can come back next year and do the same thing,” Dunn said.
“I was on a mission to get on the back of Black Heart Bart because I thought he would be hard to beat and the Goodwood form has really stood up.
“This is a horse that should have won more races, but his racing pattern has stopped him from doing that. Fortunately, today, everything has worked out for him and he got the big race win he deserves.”
Brad Rawiller said the 58kg was the difference between winning and losing for Black Heart Bart. “He’s just so honest and he’s run his heart out again,” the jockey said. “That weight turnaround made the difference.”
STRADBROKE HCP
1 UNDER THE LOUVRE ($13, $3.66) D Dunn, R Smerdon
2 BLACK HEART BART ($2) B Rawiller, D Weir
3 THE VIRGINIAN ($23.22) R Myers, T Edmonds
FULL RESULT: TAB FIXED ODDS
THEY BUILT IT AND THE CROWD CAME
Nathan Exelby
IT was the day Queensland race fans had waited 22 months for.
A crowd of just over 20,000 converged on the revamped Eagle Farm racecourse to witness history as the Brisbane Racing Club’s new $22 million track was laid bare for the first time.
Barely has there been more speculation of how a circuit might perform and with 10 races, $4.5 million and 170 horses, the racing focus of the country was squarely on Brisbane yesterday.
The New South Wales domination failed to materialise, as Victoria’s Robert Smerdon led in the Stradbroke winner Under The Louvre and New Zealand’s Tony Pike landed a Group 1 double with Sacred Elixir and Provocative.
Fittingly, a Queensland stable was also among the big race winners, with Gold Coast-based Bryan Guy landing Eagle Way a winner of the Queensland Derby.
It was the first Group 1 win for Guy since Ravarda won the 1996 George Ryder Stakes and he and son Daniel were understandably fighting back tears after the win.
Guy had to use his persuasive powers to keep Eagle Way in Australia, as he is owned by champion Hong Kong trainer John Moore and is likely to race there next season.
The Guys had been on the record as far back as January 2 that Eagle Way was a Derby contender.
Queensland stables had a major say in the outcome of the Derby, with Desleigh Forster’s I’m Belucci running bravely for third after looming as a potential winner soon after straightening.
It was a day that had almost everything.
Sydney’s top stables Chris Waller and Team Snowden won support races on the program, multiple champion Queensland trainer Rob Heathcote led in a winner and the Stradbroke lived up to its reputation as a graveyard for favourites.
Azkadellia had been backed for a stack on Friday, but her finishing burst was nowhere to be seen as Under The Louvre and Black Heart Bart cleared out from the 100-1 Gold Coast bolter The Virginian.
Under The Louvre becomes the eighth double figure priced winner of the Stradbroke in the past 11 years, with the favourite winning only once in the same time span.
Adding the international flavour was Joao Moreira, touted by many as the world’s best jockey, and he delivered for punters when he guided easing favourite Tsaritsa home in the Queensland Guineas.
Damien Oliver, first-up off a one-month suspension for an elevated blood alcohol level at Warrnambool, had a miserable day.
Oliver said Azkadellia was unsuited by the inferior ground near the inside in the Stradbroke, which followed stewards hitting him with a careless riding suspension for causing interference on Onemorezeta in the Dane Ripper Stakes.
TAB BETTING REVIEW
EAGLE FARM
RACE 7 — JJ ATKINS
Sacred Elixir was easily the best backed runner here and landed some good bets. Although getting out in the market from $4.40 to be equal $5.50 favourite at the jump, bets on Sacred Elixir accounted for 30 per cent of the total investment. Jaws Of Steel ($16-$12) was one of the better tried horses outside of the favourite while Dreams aplenty ($26-$16) had specking. Souchez ($4.60-$5.50) and Attention ($7-$6) also had their share of admirers.
RACE 8 — QLD DERBY
Eagle Way ($5-$8.50) was a noted drifter thanks to the big support for race favourite Howard Be Thy Name ($4.20-$3.80). Mackintosh was kept safe for most of the betting but was $4.60 out to $5 late. Etymology ($9.50-$7) had some backing. BETS: Howard Be Thy Name $2,000 @ $4.20, $2,000 @ $3.80 MULTIPLE TIMES, Mackintosh $7,500 @ $4.20
RACE 9 — STRADBROKE HCP
More Coverage
Punters were backing Azkadellia as if it was unbeatable. With $4.20 on offer after the barrier draw on Wednesday, it was smashed into as low as $3.30 today before starting at $3.80. Such was the weight of money for the mare that she held 40 per cent of all bets placed in the Stradbroke, however, was never a factor after racing near the rear of the field throughout. Black Heart Bart ($6-$5.50) was well supported while Malaguerra ($9-$11) had its admirers. Of the others, Counterattack ($7.50-$7) was popular right throughout betting while Under The Louvre ($13) was kept safe in the market. BETS: Azkadellia $11,000 @ $3.90, $9,500 @ $3.40, $9,000 @ $3.30, Counterattack $3,000 @ $7.50, Under The Louvre $2,500 @ $13
RACE 10 — QLD OAKS
Provocative was the most significant mover in betting for the Oaks and proved to be too strong at the finish. Backed from $9 into $7 in the last 24 hours, it was the second most popular runner in terms of money taken behind Falkenberg ($7.50-$6.50). Imposing Lass ($4.60-$5.50) was a drifting favourite while Kebede was a decent go on race day, $13-$7. BETS: Falkenberg $6,600 @ $6.50
Originally published as Stradbroke Handicap 2016: Under The Louvre digs deep to snare Group 1 feature at Eagle Farm
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