A sparkling barrier trial win has trainer Bryan Guy convinced Stroak is ready to reproduce her best form.
Stroak was Brisbane’s early two-year-old star last season, winning twice before finishing a close second to Unencumbered in the BJ McLachlan Stakes.
She followed that run with a fifth in the Magic Millions Classic when she came from 15th on the hometurn.
Stroak makes her return to racing in the Hardy Brothers Jewellers Handicap at Doomben on Saturday.
Guy has no doubt Stroak would have tested Unencumbered in the Magic Millions had she drawn a decent barrier.
The Millions run convinced Guy he had a winter carnival horse on his hands and he even made tentative plans for Stroak to tackle the VRC Oaks.
However, the Real Saga filly didn’t fire in the winter, finishing well beaten in both the BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes and JJ Atkins Stakes.
“I just don’t know what went wrong with her. A few of the horses which raced at the Millions carnival and then backed up in the winter also didn’t fire,” Guy said.
“Maybe, that was the reason – the break wasn’t long enough. But we decided to tip her out and miss the spring with her.”
The plan seems to have been a success with Stroak strolling home to a win in a Gold Coast trial in slick time on November 11.
