The Stradbroke Handicap is a Brisbane Racing ClubGroup 1Thoroughbred open handicap horse race, run over a distance of 1,400 metres at Eagle Farm Racecourse, Brisbane in June during the Queensland Winter Racing Carnival.[2] It is one of the highlight races on the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival with total prize money of A$1,500,000
History
The race is named after Lord Stradbroke, relative to Henry John Rous, originator of the weight-for-age scale in thoroughbred racing.[3]
Five two-year-olds have won the race, the last was Wiggle, carrying 7 stone 5 pounds (~46.5 kg) in 1958.[4][5] The 1,400 metre race and track record is 1:20.2 established by Toledo in 1998.[6]
Between 1982 and 1988 the race was known as the Elders Handicap.[6]
Distance
In 1890 the Stradbroke Handicap was a Principal race run over six furlongs (~1,200m), when it was won by Pyrrhus.
The distance was changed in 1953 to 7 furlongs and in 1972 to the current distance of 1,400 metres.
Due to track reconstruction of Eagle Farm Racecourse for the 2014–15 racing season the event was transferred to Doomben Racecourse over a slightly shorter distance of 1350 metres.[7]