Ciaron Maher’s Queen Of The Turf Stakes winning mare Azkadellia is early favourite of the Stradbroke Handicap 2016 nominations taken by Queensland Racing this Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival.

Early 2016 Stradbroke Handicap favourite Azkadellia is prepared by last year’s winning trainer Ciaron Maher. Photo: Steve Hart.

Nominations for the six Group 1 majors of the carnival closed this week including those for the state’s richest race, the $1.5 million Group 1 AAMI Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) that runs at Eagle Farm Racecourse on Saturday June 11.

The Stradbroke Handicap attracted a bumper 100 nominations this season, early all-in betting at Ladbrokes.com.au led by four-year-old Shinko King mare Azkadellia.

She ran third in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) behind superstar Winx two back before taking out Randwick’s Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) last start on April 9.

Caulfield-based trainer Maher won the Stradbroke Handicap last year with another then four-year-old mare Srikandi and currently Azkadellia pays $4.40 to hand him with back-to-back wins in the classic.

He has also nominated for Girl Guide who runs in the Listed Wangoom Handicap at Warrnambool this week.

Along with Srikandi (2015) the other most recent mare to win the Stradbroke Handicap was Mid Summer Music (2012).

Other notable mares in the mix this year include Chris Waller’s Breeders Classic winner Amicus and The Galaxy champion Griante.

Of the fillies the best fancied in early Stradbroke Handicap betting is the John O’Shea-trained daughter of Lonhro Ghisoni ($15), last seen running fifth to Japonisme in the Group 2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint (1200m) in Sydney.

Following Azkadellia in the Stradbroke Handicap markets currently are Malaguerra ($5) and Black Heart Bart ($7), both also nominated on Wednesday morning.

Lee & Anthony Freedman train four-year-old Malaguerra, co-trainer Lee Freedman having won the classic 20 years ago with Danasinga (1996).

The horse’s last start produced a sixth to English in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m), a race the Darren Weir-trained fellow Straddie hopeful Black Heart Bart ran a nice second in.

That follows the former Perth-trained gelding’s Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) second at Flemington and Group 3 Caulfield win in late March.

Another in-form interstate raider high up the Stradbroke markets is the Bjorn Baker-trained Group 3 Hall Mark Stakes (1200m) winner Music Magnate ($11).

He sits just above the Todd Willian-trained Victory Stakes third placegetter Artlee ($12), Waller’s Arrowfield Stakes runner-up Counterattack ($12) and Fell Swoop ($12) in betting.

Not A Single Doubt four-year-old Fell Swoop is prepared in Canberra by Matthew Dale and put the writing on the wall for a big winter in Brisbane last Saturday at Doomben.

Following a second to subsequent HK Chairman’s Sprint Prize winner Chautauqua in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) in Sydney, Fell Swoop enjoyed a good win as the odds-on favourite in last weekend’s Group 2 Victory Stakes (1200m).

Also featured in the Stradbroke Handicap early entries are the likes of Barry Campbell’s star Tasmanian galloper Admiral, local Rothesay three-year-old Havasay who ran third in last weekend’s Group 3 Gunsynd Classic (1630m), the Joe Pride-trained I Am Zelady, Waller’s Darley Classic winner Delectation and his star Group 1 winning stablemate Japonisme.

The 2016 Stradbroke Handicap first acceptances close on June 1 so now is the time to head to Ladbrokes.com.au and back your early selections at the hottest odds!

2016 Stradbroke Handicap Nominations

Eagle Farm Racecourse – 11/06/2016