The bookies are tipping a return to form from the Mick Price & Michael Kent Junior-trained Aryton who heads betting on the 2022 Stradbroke Handicap final field in Brisbane this weekend.

Ayrton is favourite to take out the $1.5 million Stradbroke Handicap in 2022 at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Queensland’s richest race dominates the Eagle Farm card on Saturday with the running of the Group 1 $1.5 million Stradbroke Handicap (1400m).

This year’s Stradbroke Handicap field features a capacity line-up of winter hopefuls led in betting by Victorian raider Ayrton.

The Kiwi-bred son of Iffraaj has a six-from-nine career record ahead of his Group 1 debut.

Two back the four-year-old was good winning Caulfield’s Group 3 Victoria Handicap (1400m) before a disappointing eighth behind Zaaki at the Gold Coast on May 7 in the Group 2 A.D. Hollindale Stakes (1800m).

Kept fresh since, Ayrton returns for a shot at the Stradbroke coming back from 59kg that run to just 54kg in the handicap classic with Jamie Kah also coming back aboard.

Proven at the track having won last winter’s Group 3 Gunsynd Classic (1600m) here on the same day in 2021, he should also appreciate coming back to 1400m having a stellar record over the distance (5:3-1-1).

The latest Stradbroke Handicap betting markets at Ladbrokes.com.au have Aryton at a firm $4.80 to win.

There are two other single-figure fancies in the current pre-barrier markets with Kingsford-Smith Cup graduates Eleven Eleven ($6) and Apache Chase ($9).

The local Desleigh Forster-trained Better Than Ready four-year-old Apache Chase was excellent at Eagle Farm on May 28 narrowly denying Paulele victory in the Group 1 Kingsford-Smith Cup (1300m).

Jim Byrne continues associations with the eight-time winner at the track, Apache Chase also boasting a strong 1400m record (10:6-0-2) ahead of his shot at the Group 1 double.

He looks value too coming back from 59kg to 55.5kg.

The Gregory Hickman-trained Eleven Eleven was also good in the same key lead-up running a second-up third only a quarter-length beaten.

Winner of the Gold Coast’s Magic Millions Cup over 1400m back in January, the five-year-old son of Fasnet Rock presents as a threat again here fit third-up with Hugh Bowman to ride.

Outside of the runners under $10 Stradbroke Handicap odds the other best in betting is Alligator Blood ($10), the Queensland expat now prepared by Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott out of Sydney.

It has been a long time between drinks for the now five-year-old son of All Too Hard who last enjoyed victory back in February 2020 winning Flemington’s Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m).

Raced sparingly since, he looked back to his best fresh a fortnight ago here when narrowly denied a return to winning form at a big price finishing second to Soxagon in the Group 3 BRC Sprint (1300m).

Last Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival the Michael Moroney-trained Tofane became the first Stradbroke Handicap winning mare since Srikandi (2015) to beat home the boys.

This year the best fancied of the female gallopers looking to go back-to-back for the girls include the Tony Gollan-trained Magic Millions Sprint winning mare Isotope ($13) last seen running ninth in the Kingsford-Smith Cup and the Rob Heathcote-trained filly Startantes ($13).

Other standout Straddie hopes include the Heathcote-trained Group 1 winner Rothfire ($13) and Joe Pride’s 57kg top-weight Private Eye ($15).

The official Stradbroke Handicap 2022 barrier draw took place at 5:15pm (AEST) on Tuesday evening with Ayrton drawing out in barrier 19.

Click here for the latest Stradbroke Handicap 2022 betting odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2022 Stradbroke Handicap Final Field

Table Credit: Racing Australia.