One time top Stradbroke Handicap fancy Artlee is among the nineteen nominations for Group 2 $175,000 MIRVAC QTC Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

The QTC Cup is the last chance to gain a start in the Group 1 $1.5m AAMI Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 11 for those down in the order of entry.

The winner of the QTC Cup is exempt from the ballot for the Stradbroke Handicap but history tells us that no QTC Cup winner has ever gone on to win the Brisbane Winter Carnival’s feature sprint.

The Todd Willan trained Artlee is number forty-six in the order of entry for the Stradbroke Handicap and needs to win the QTC Cup to gain a start in the $1.5 million sprint.

Artlee is currently a $17 chance for the Stradbroke Handicap at Ladbrokes.com.au and after running a good race when third to Fell Swoop in the Group 2 $200,000 National Fire Industry Association QLD Victory Stakes (1200m) at Doomben April 30 was seventh to Malaguerra in the Group 1 $500,000 BTC Cup (1200m) followed by a third to Snippet’s Land in the Group 3 $125,000 Darley BRC Sprint both at Doomben.

Last start Ortensia Stakes winner Kaepernick is in the same predicament at forty-two in the order of entry along with the Chris Waller trained Religify who is further down the Stradbroke Handicap list at number forty-eight.

Religify was heavier backed last start when a close second to Snippets Land in the BRC Sprint after leading.

Melbourne sprinter Charmed Harmony has been nominated for the QTC Cup but trainer John Sadler’s said that the six year old would most likely have a barrier trial on Thursday instead after failing to handle the clockwise way of racing when last of thirteen in the BRC Sprint.

“We’ll give him a solid hit-out on Thursday and that will determine whether he runs in the Stradbroke,” Sadler told AAP.

“He lugged out the whole way the other day at Doomben and his two worst runs have been when he’s gone the reverse way.

“Maybe he just doesn’t handle racing that way, so we’ll see what happens in the trial.

“If he doesn’t run in the Stradbroke he can have two or three weeks off in the warmer weather in Queensland and then come back down for the spring.”

Sadler won the 2013 Stradbroke Handicap with the popular grey Linton who scored an upset win at $26 over local hero Buffering ($6.50).

Early market order for the QTC Cup at Ladbrokes.com.au: $3.50 Kaepernick, $5.50 Religify, $6 Target In Sight, $7 Artlee, $8 Snippet’s Land, Spill The Beans, $10 Perfect Fit, Sacred Star, Stratum Star, $11 Eloping, $21 Charmed Harmony, Odyssey Moon, Trubia, $26 Miss Cover Girl, $41 Sure And Fast, $51 Liberation, Office Bearer, $61 Steel Zip, $101 Royal Occasion.

QTC Cup nominations

#	Last 10	Horse	Sex	Age	Trainer	Hcp Rating
1	11x39x9373	ARTLEE	G	5	Todd Willan	98
2	1541×96210	CHARMED HARMONY	G	6	John Sadler	103
3	0x406925x1	ELOPING	M	4	Peter Robl	98
4	122x0130x1	KAEPERNICK	G	4	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	99
5	1240621239	LIBERATION	H	4	Barry Lockwood	81
6	3954835×27	MISS COVER GIRL	M	4	Kelly Schweida	90
7	x3550x4323	ODYSSEY MOON	C	3	Robert Smerdon	84
8	348x3276x6	OFFICE BEARER	H	6	Jason Coyle	93
9	x3x112x111	PERFECT FIT (NZ)	M	4	Ken Kelso	–
10	1045412212	RELIGIFY	G	5	Chris Waller	98
11	1200135×41	ROYAL OCCASION	G	5	Matthew Dunn	79
12	x56x4041x0	SACRED STAR	G	6	Tony Pike	106
13	7×08172421	SNIPPETS LAND	G	5	Peter & Paul Snowden	102
14	x623x14812	SPILL THE BEANS	C	3	Gerald Ryan	92
15	512111036x	STEEL ZIP	G	8	Pat Duff	100
16	1310×72360	STRATUM STAR	H	4	Darren Weir	110
17	178x179x25	SURE AND FAST	G	4	Paul Murray	88
18	126242×256	TARGET IN SIGHT	G	6	Joseph Pride	104
19	361111×134	TRUBIA	H	4	Michael Lakey	89