Top class mare Streama will wear blinkers when she lines up in the Group 1 $1.36m AAMI Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 8.
Streama will wear blinkers in the Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm. Photo by Steve Hart.
Leading Melbourne jockey Glen Boss made a special trip to Randwick yesterday to partner Streama in a 1050m barrier trial to test the Group 1 winning mare in the blinkers.
Streama finish third on a heavy track and Boss reported back to trainer Guy Walter that he was pleased with the hit out and that he would ride her in the Stradbroke.
“I was pleased with the trial although unfortunately the track was heavy,” Walter said.
“Glen was happy and he confirmed he will ride her in the Stradbroke and the blinkers will be on.”
Boss rode Streama when fourth to Sacred Falls in the Group 1 $2m BMW Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick on April 20 and will stick with the four year old when she travels to Brisbane.
Streama will carry 54.5kg in the Stradbroke, 1kg more than she carried in the Doncaster and Walter is hoping she can end her season with an another Group 1 win.
The Stratum mare was a Group 1 winner on two occasions as a three year old, taking out the 2011 $400,000 Coolmore Flight Stakes (1600m) at Randwick in the Spring and the 2012 $550,000 Patinack Farm Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick in the Autumn.
Streama will be accompanied to Queensland by her stablemate Skyerush who will be trying to go one better in the Group 1 $500,000 Sky Racing Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 22 after finishing second to Pear Tart last year.
“We will stick to the original plan to run Streama in the Stradbroke and Skyerush in the Tatt’s Tiara with Blake Shinn to ride,” Walter said.
“Streama will go for a rest and get ready for the spring.”
Skyerush will be coming to Queensland on the back of a very successful Sydney Autumn Carnival campaign.
The seven year old mare won three for four starts, all at group level including her last start victory in the Group 2 $175,000 M. J. Bale Emancipation Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on April 27.
Streama is currently a $21 chance in Stradbroke Handicap markets which has Doomben 10,000 winner Eapulette at the head of the betting at $4.40.
Local three year old Better Than Ready is on the second line of betting at $6 in front of BTC Cup winner Your Song at $8.50.
The Robert Heathcote trained pair Buffering and Solzhenitsyn are next in the market at $9 and $12 respectively.
