Queensland’s richest race lights up Eagle Farm Racecourse on Saturday, and below we have our insider 2023 Stradbroke Handicap best bets and betting tips on the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival showcase.

Ruthless Dame looks one of the top chances for the 2023 Stradbroke Handicap exotics this weekend in Brisbane. Photo: Jenny Barnes.

The Group 1 $3 million The Star Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) features a star-studded field of sprinters with markets at Ladbrokes.com.au led by the airborne Think About It.

Joe Pride’s progressive four-year-old went to another level last time out at the track taking his impressive strike-rate up to seven straight with a confident victory in the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m).

He needs to produce another career best up in distance to do the Group 1 Brisbane double, but he will relish a drop back in weight and favourable gate.

So, will Think About It salute as the $3.40 favourite in Stradbroke Handicap betting or is an upset pending from the likes of Kingsford Smith runner-up Converge ($8) or even the top-weighted local hope Rothfire ($17)?

Throw into the mix a host of in-form three-year-olds including the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Hawaii Five Oh ($5) and we’ve got a race!

See below for our exclusive Stradbroke tips before heading to Ladbrokes.com.au to lock in your bets on the big one in Brisbane this weekend!

The Favourite: #9 Think About It ($3.40 at time of publish) – BET NOW

He’s a pretty hard to knock favourite having done everything right so far. It takes a talented horse to win seven on the trot and this son of So You Think doesn’t look done just yet. He was excellent at Eagle Farm when posting a Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup victory here last time out with 59kg at WFA. Back to 54kg here so will be flying. Sam Clipperton retains the ride, could come in from barrier 12 to 9 with emergencies out which looks ideal, and the 1400m should suit. He is unbeaten with a two-from-two record at the distance to date and is the class runner here. From nine career runs he has only been beaten once and the price is still backable. Can salute.

The Danger: #18 Hawaii Five Oh ($5.50) at time of publish) – BET NOW

The three-year-olds don’t have the best strike-rate in the Stradbroke with Impending (2017) the last to win, but this classy I Am Invincible colt from last year’s winning stable (Waterhouse/Bott) has understandable support to be the next. He was excellent two back winning the Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m) by over three lengths before travelling to the sunshine state for a win at this track and trip in the Group 3 Fred Best Classic with 57kg. In the Group 1 he is back down to just 49.5kg and will be airborne with that allocation from a gun gate three draw. Needs to step it up now taking on the older sprinters here, but ticks plenty of boxes. Each Way.

Best Roughie: #14 Ruthless Dame ($12 at time of publish) – BET NOW

There are so many good roughie hopes at double-figures out to challenge in this year’s Straddie including one of the two last start Group 1 winning fillies from the stables of Ciaron Maher & David Eustace. This nicely-bred Tavistock filly boasts a 50% winning strike rate from her six starts to date having taken the step-up to Group 1 company at Morphettville last start on May 6 winning the Robert Sangster Stakes. She carried 55kg there and defeated a host of more mature mares, and she has had a nice freshen-up since. Looked good in a recent Warwick Farm trial to bring her on fitness-wise ahead of the Stradbroke where she needs to go to another level again. Drawn a similar gate, drops back to 52.5kg and looks very well rated here to surprise a few at a price.