Vega the One after Stradbroke Handicap barrier draw

Image: Darren Winningham

Vega One stands alone at the head of Stradbroke Handicap betting after faring best of the big names at Tuesday night’s barrier draw for Saturday’s $1.5 million race at Eagle Farm.

The local Group 1 winner was joint $6 favourite with Wild Planet going into the draw, but tightened into $5.50 after landing gate four. With third emergency Blazejowski drawn barrier two,  Vega One will most likely start from gate three – the barrier Santa Ana Lane won from three years ago.

Wild Planet eased to $6.50 after drawing 15, but his fans will be buoyed by the news half of the past 30 Stradbroke winners started from a double-digit barrier, including recent winners Under The Louvre and Impending from 13, the gate he will jump from if the emergencies don’t run.

Queensland cult figure The Harrovian ($8.50) and Victorian mare Tofane ($9) remained at their pre-draw quotes after drawing barriers 11 and 12 respectively, while local 3YO Apache Chase tightened from $12 into $11 after coming up with gate seven.

Barriers were earlier drawn for the J.J. Atkins and the inaugural The Q22, in which Zaaki remains the $1.50 favourite after drawing barrier nine of 16. Converge tightened from $3.50 to $3.30 after drawing gate five in the 14-horse J.J. Atkins, while Port Louis went the other way – $4 out to $4.60 – after landing barrier 13.

TAB ODDS

STRADBROKE HANDICAP (barrier in brackets)

$5.50    Vega One (4)

$6.50    Wild Planet (15)

$8.50    The Harrovian (11)

$9.00    Tofane (12)

$9.50    Mr Quickie (1)

$11        Apache Chase (7)

$16        Victorem (8)

$17        Subpoenaed (21)

$21        Imagining (17), Niccanova (14), I Am Superman (3), Emerald Kingdom (10)

$26        Amish Boy (2^nd em, 5)

$31        Savatoxl (13), Signore Fox (19), Madam Rouge (16)

$41        So Si Bon (9), Outback Barbie (1^st em, 20)

$101      Olmedo (18), Blazejowski (3^rd em, 2)

$151      Master Jamie (6)

J.J. ATKINS

$3.30    Converge (5)
$4.60    Port Louis (13)
$6.50    Tiger Of Malay (11)
$14        Overpass (3)
$15        Ranch Hand (2)

Cape Breton (10)
$16        Giannis (8)
$18+     Others quoted

THE Q22

$1.50    Zaaki (9)
$9.00    Toffee Tongue (15)
$13        Warning (6)
$17        Spirit Ridge (2)

Brandenburg (10)
$21        Nettoyer (7)
$26+      Others quoted