Trainer Ciaron Maher has confirmed the owners of three-year-old filly Srikandi will pay the late entry fee to put her in the $1 million Stradbroke Handicap.
Srikandi rocketed to the top of the market for Brisbane’s signature race on June with her win in Saturday’s Group Three Glenlogan Park Stakes at Doomben.
It was the filly’s fifth consecutive victory in a streak which began at Mornington in March.
Her jockey Glen Boss will decide over the next day or two whether he rides her at her predicted 50.5kg or sticks with Rebel Dane who ran fourth in Saturday’s Doomben 10,000.
“We are definitely going to the Stradbroke,” Maher told Sky Racing.
“You don’t get a shot at a race like that with a light weight very often.
“You have to try to beat the handicapper.”
The Glenlogan (1350m) was the filly’s first attempt beyond 1200 metres and she handled it easily.
“The 1350 was a bit of a question,” Maher said.
“But Glen reckoned she had another kick left in her.
“He will decide in the next 24 hours what he is going to do.”
Weights for the Stradbroke (1400m) will be released on Monday with Buffering expected to get 59kg.
But after his third to Spirit Of Boom and Temple Of Boom in Saturday’s Doomben 10,000, he is now scheduled to be spelled with the spring in mind.
Spirit Of Boom would then be the likely topweight for what will be his swan song before he heads to Eureka Stud to prepare for stallion duties in the spring.
Srikandi is at $4.50 for the Stradbroke with Rebel Dane and Spirit Of Boom on $6 ahead of the Chris Waller-trained mares Catkins and Red Tracer and $10 and $11 respectively.
