Three races worth at least AU$1 million will headline the year's biggest card of racing in Australia's north-eastern capital, Brisbane, this Friday night. For the first time, TVG will broadcast live from Eagle Farm Racecourse, with Sky Racing World's Jason Witham providing commentary and race-by-race analysis.
The nine-race, all-stakes program commences at 6:43 p.m. Pacific / 9:43p.m. Eastern. Brisbane's showpiece race, the seven-furlong Stradbroke Handicap (G1), includes two horses whose career paths are worthy of chapters, rather than paragraphs.
Ayrton (5-1) is rated by his trainer Mick Price, who has compiled more than 40 Group One wins, one of his best-ever talents. The horse aroused interest from Hong Kong after his career debut, but offers were not entertained. He brought a 4-for-5 record amid tremendous buzz to Brisbane in May of last year, when future book favorite for the Stradbroke as a 3-year-old, but was upset in a prep race he needed to win to gain entry into the field.
His campaign in the second half of 2021 was derailed by a life-threatening spider bite (Australia holds the dubious distinction of housing the world's most venomous snakes and spiders). Ayrton resumed racing in April, surprising Price with a first-up win at seven furlongs when considered short of fitness. He again ventured north from his Melbourne base to tackle Brisbane's winter riches. Price had designs on a stretch-out, but a defeat at 1-1/8 miles caused an immediate rethink which resulted in the Stradbroke Handicap again becoming his target race.
Like last year, Ayrton was immediately made the bookies' favorite; unlike last year, the now-4-year-old is fully qualified and safely ensconced in the field of 18. Ayrton is named for the ill-fated Brazilian who is widely regarded as the greatest Formula 1 driver of all time. Ayrton Senna's last win was the Australian Grand Prix of 1993.
Catchy name aside, Alligator Blood (10-1) captured national attention by winning his first five races prior to a nose defeat in his Group One debut. After two more victories, he was hot favorite for a $3 million race but drama unfolded when his van was stuck in traffic for two hours after a tanker truck full of gasoline overturned on the freeway. The headline horse was provided a police escort in order to make the race – which he won, before subsequently being disqualified!
Alligator Blood rebounded with two more wins, including a deserved Group One success in February of 2020, but has lost each of eight sporadic races since. However, the horse recently made his 2022 debut in a key prep race for the Stradbroke, producing an enormous comeback effort when a close 2nd after being forced to cover considerable extra ground. Alligator Blood's name is an American poker term, which describes players who display resilience and tenacity while refusing to give up. Clearly, those qualities “bleed” through the horse's career.
Eleven Eleven ran a brilliant second place to Apache Chase in another important Stradbroke prep, in the Kingsford-Smith Stakes (G2) over 6 1/2 furlongs, after being caught behind runners down the stretch. Local wagering market moves have seen him firm from 6 -1 to 4 -1 and become the new favorite for the race.
Friday night's other million-dollar-plus races are the Q22, at 1-3/8 miles, headed by the upset Doomben Cup Exacta of Huetor (5-2) and Maximal (5-1); and the J.J. Atkins Plate at a mile for 2-year-olds, with favoritism up for grabs among Political Debate, Sharp 'N' Smart and Sheeza Belter.
The Eagle Farm card (AUS-B) will be broadcast live on TVG this Friday night (First Post: 9:43 p.m. ET / 6:43 p.m. PT) alongside cards from Randwick (AUS-A), Newcastle (AUS-C) and Gold Coast (AUS-D). All races will be live-streamed in HD on the new Sky Racing World App, skyracingworld.com and major ADW platforms such as TVG, TwinSpires, Xpressbet, NYRABets, WatchandWager, HPIbet, and AmWager. Wagering is also available via these ADW platforms. Fans can get free access to live-streaming, past performances and expert picks on all races at skyracingworld.com.
About Michael Wrona
A native of Brisbane, Australia, Michael Wrona has called races in six countries. Michael's vast U.S. experience includes; race calling at Los Alamitos, Hollywood Park, Arlington and Santa Anita, calling the 2000 Preakness on a national radio network and the 2016 Breeders' Cup on the International simulcast network. Michael also performed a race call voiceover for a Seinfeld episode called The Subway.
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