Wide barriers and big weights are widely regarded as the poison pills to avoid in a 1400-metre handicap.

In our biggest 1400-metre handicap, however, it seems out wide in clear air is the place to be.

Nine of the past 12 Stradbroke winners have jumped from double-figure gates. The past seven have jumped from eight or wider including one each from 15, 16 and 17.

On the other hand, conventional wisdom holds true when it comes to weights.

No Stradbroke winner has had more than 56kg since Rough Habit won with 58.5kg in 1992. Of the 33 winners since, 26 have had 54.5kg or less.

Since Show A Heart won with 56kg in 2002, 43 horses have carried that weight or more in Stradbrokes for zero wins.

But if you’re punting for the place, knock yourself out. In 12 of the past 17 years, a horse with 56kg or more has finished in the minors. Private Eye (2022), Rothfire (2023), Bella Nipotina (2024) and Private Eye again (2025) have done so in the past four years.

Adding to the Stradbroke puzzle is the patchy record of horses who have won a major lead-up race in Brisbane.

Of the 26 Moreton (ex QTC) Cup winners to contest the Stradbroke, not one has won. Of the 41 Kingsford-Smith (ex BTC) Cup winners to tackle the Stradbroke, two have won. For the BRC (ex BTC) Sprint, it’s two from 29. For the Doomben 10,000, one from 21.

All up that’s 117 attempts for five wins.

Throw in the fact that it’s almost always a capacity 18-horse field and it’s not surprising that only four favourites have won in the past 21 years — and one of those (Trekking) started at $7. Or that the average SP across that time has been $14.34.