Chris Waller-trained Fangirl is faced with the daunting task of equalling a 127-year-old weight-carrying record for a mare if she is to win Saturday’s (13 June) G1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm Racecourse in Brisbane, Australia.

The seven-year-old has been allocated equal top weight of 125lb, the same impost Sweetheart carried to victory in 1899.

Waller will be keeping a close watch on the wet weather forecast for Brisbane, as the four-time Group 1-winning mare has failed in all five of her attempts on heavy tracks.

James McDonald has been booked to ride Fangirl, who ran home strongly to finish third, beaten less than half a length, to Saturday’s likely favourite Headley Grange in the G1 Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm on 30 May.

“Fangirl was great last start and with a bit of luck in running, she probably wins,” McDonald said.

“I know she has to carry a bit of weight in the Stradbroke but she’s an outstanding mare and will be hard to beat.”

Plenty of support has come for Phillip Stokes’ three-year-old gelding Regal Award after his last-start 1400m Group 3 victory at Eagle Farm on 30 May.

“That was very rewarding. We’ve always known this horse has had a lot of ability, but he’s been very frustrating and hard to train,” Stokes said after the victory.

The son of Ole Kirk will carry just 109lb and will be ridden by 20-year-old apprentice Luke Cartwright, who is hoping for his first Group 1 success.

Headley Grange is expected to remain the pre-race favourite after drawing barrier eight, while fancies Fangirl and Regal Award will jump from barriers 11 and nine, respectively.

Joseph Pride, who trains Headley Grange, will also saddle Private Eye and Estadio Mestalla in the race.

Queensland cult hero Rothfire, who scored an upset victory in the G1 Doomben 10000 (1200m), shares equal top weight with Fangirl, Private Eye and Another Wil.

Rothfire’s trainer Rob Heathcote is hoping for a rain-affected track.

“It’s an old broken record but I just want a soft track for Rothy,” he said. “I really hope the rain comes.”

Heathcote also has mare Abounding running in the Stradbroke.

“She certainly earned the right with her win in the BRC Sprint (G3, 1350m), which was no fluke,” he said. “She just franked her good form from the Melbourne spring.”

Ciaron Maher has warned not to write off the chances of his pair Warnie and Another Wil, while Peter Moody concedes Desert Lightning is big odds but can bounce back after being unplaced following his G1 The Goodwood (1200m) win.

Queensland trainer Tony Gollan is confident of the chances of Transatlantic, who finished fifth, beaten within one-and-a-quarter lengths in the Kingsford Smith Cup.

“Going into the Kingsford Smith Cup, he was a month between runs without a trial and he was just that touch fresh,” Gollan said. “His work since has been great, and he is really into his rhythm now, and he’s a nice, fit and happy horse.

“He is weighted well enough to win the race, even though a couple of lighter weighted horses are going to be good chances.”

And in another feature race on Stradbroke Handicap Day, bold front-running mare Pride Of Jenni will race at 2200m for the first time in the G2 HKJC World Pool Q22.

One of her four Group 1 victories was at 2000m in the 2024 Queen Elizabeth Stakes, and her trainer Ciaron Maher predicted the mare, who finished second at her most recent start in the G1 Doomben Cup (2000m), would have no problems extending to 2200m.

“There’s not much she can’t handle, so I’m very confident. She’ll relish it,” Maher said. “She’s a strong mare, and she keeps galloping, so I don’t think an extra furlong (200m) will worry her.

“I know she hasn’t been to the 2200m, but she always takes a lot of pulling up after the race. It’s a little bit of an unknown stepping out beyond the 2000m but she’s always very strong through the line so it’ll be interesting.”

Maher said Pride Of Jenni is great for racing and brings a different dynamic to each race she contests.

The eight-year-old mare, who Maher says is racing as well as ever, faces some stiff opposition headed by Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Vauban, who is hitting peak form.

Half Yours, who completed last year’s G1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) and G1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) double, is having his fourth run back from a spell, and Calvin McEvoy, who trains in partnership with his father Tony, believes the spacious Eagle Farm track and extra distance will suit the five-year-old.

“The 2200 (metres) is going to be really good and Eagle Farm is going to suit. It’s been the one race out of all the races so far that should be suitable to him,” McEvoy said.

Militarize, She’s A Hustler and Pounding, at probable big odds, are all given chances.

The G1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) is carded as S1-1 and will be run at 1.57pm (Hong Kong time) on Saturday, 13 June. The G2 HKJC World Pool Q22 (2200m) is carded as S1-2 and will be run at 2.30pm.

Photo: Martin King