Kris Lees’ Kingsford-Smith Cup winner Clearly Innocent is the headline galloper in the Stradbroke Handicap 2017 first acceptances taken by Racing Queensland on Wednesday for Saturday week’s feature.

Clearly Innocent headlines the 2017 Stradbroke Handicap First Acceptances for the Group 1 taking place at Doomben on June 10. Photo: Steve Hart.

First declarations for all three elite level Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival events held on June 10 have now closed in the aftermath of the Stradbroke Handicap Day meeting being transferred from Eagle Farm to Doomben Racecourse.

After originally attracting 133 nominations, the possible line-up for this year’s $1.5 million Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1350m) is down to 27 entries led by the in-form Clearly Innocent.

The five-year-old Not A Single Doubt gelding put the writing on the wall with a runaway three length win at Eagle Farm in the wet defeating known mudlark Jungle Edge in the Group 1 Kingsford-Smith Cup (1300m).

That race is now set to serve as the key Stradbroke Handicap lead-up even with the latter moving to Doomben due to the rain-affected Eagle Farm course.

Clearly Innocent boasts an outstanding record of five wins from six starts over the Stradbroke Handicap distance and he sits top of futures betting for the race at $4 through Ladbrokes.com.au.

After carting 59kg to victory at weight-for-age last time out, Clearly Innocent is also set to relish the drop back to 55.5kg Saturday week and sits top of the Stradbroke Handicap ballot post-first acceptances.

Second on the updated Stradbroke Handicap order of entry is the aforementioned Kingsford-Smith Cup runner-up Jungle Edge who gets into the rematch with just 54kg.

It has been an outstanding season for Mick Bell’s six-year-old who has racked up a trio of Group 1 placings as well as two Group 3 victories over his autumn – winter campaign.

Third in the Group 1 The Galaxy (1100m) and Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) in Sydney, Jungle Edge enjoyed a Group 3 BRC Sprint (1350m) win at Doomben two back before his second to Clearly Innocent.

Returning to Doomben will suit the proven performer who will also relish carrying his lightest weight in six runs.

Jungle Edge still represents value in the all-in Stradbroke Handicap betting at a quote of $10.

Occupying the second line of those futures markets at $7 is the Chris Waller-trained Counterattack, one of three Stradbroke Handicap first acceptances for the stable.

Four-year-old Redoute’s Choice stallion Counterattack was runner-up to Redzel in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 (1200m) on May 13 before his third in the Kingsford-Smith Cup last time out.

He is another galloper that will be better performed with the Stradbroke Handicap being moved to Doomben and looks well-weighted with 53kg.

Waller’s other Stradbroke Handicap entries are Good Project (53kg) who hasn’t raced since his second in Perth’s Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1600m) last November and Mackintosh (52kg) who also hasn’t raced since the summer in W.A.

The other early favourites in the Stradbroke Handicap odds for 2017 are Derryn ($9) and Ulmann ($9) representing Lindsay Park and Darren Weir respectively.

Hinchinbrook colt Derryn is out to be the first three-year-old Stradbroke Handicap winner since Sincero (2011), the recent Doomben 10,000 third placegetter out to improve on his Kingsford-Smith Cup sixth.

Ulmann meanwhile will drop from 56.5kg to 52kg as he looks to turn the tables on Jungle Edge who he ran third to in the Group 3 BRC Sprint (1350m).

Weir’s other standout Stradbroke Handicap-bound sprinter is Burning Front who has won seven of his past eight starts after success in Adelaide’s Group 3 RA Lee Stakes (1600m) on May 20.

Check out the full Stradbroke Handicap 2017 First Acceptances below before heading to Ladbrokes.com.au to back your early selections at the hottest winter racing odds.

2017 Stradbroke Handicap First Acceptances

Doomben Racecourse – 10/06/2017