Lindsay Park after maiden Stradbroke win

By Craig Brennan, Trent Crebbin and Danny Matthews

War Machine and Rise At Dawn are in line for Stradbroke Handicap honours at Eagle Farm.

The Lindsay Park team of Ben, Will and JD Hayes has two excellent chances of breaking a long running hoodoo in one of Australia's biggest races.

Stretching back to 'the boys' grandfather Colin Hayes, their father David Hayes, uncle Peter Hayes and in his stint at the helm of Lindsay Park, Tony McEvoy, the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm has eluded the stable.

But, this year War Machine and stablemate Rise At Dawn will be out to put Hayes name on the record as being successful in the Stradbroke Handicap.

The Hayes brothers had their first runner in last year's contest with Here To Shock finishing down the order but go into this year's race full of confidence.

"We had our first runner last year and he didn't go us well as we had hoped, but this year we've got the best hand that we've ever had and hopefully with a couple of nice draws, we should get every chance," co-trainer Ben Hayes said.

A former member of the Mike Moroney and Glen Thompson stable, War Machine will be having his third start since transferring into the care of Lindsay Park.

After winning at Caulfield on May 10, War Machine then took out the Group 3 BRC Sprint at Doomben on May 24.

Ben Hayes said he and his brothers were fortunate to be given the opportunity to train War Machine.

"We got approached by Rupert (Legh) and everyone involved and it was an offer you couldn't say no to," Ben Hayes said.

"Mike was a very good trainer and he had lots of Group 1 success. He had a lot of nice horses and we're benefitting from that and we'll do our best to get a result for him."

Ben Hayes said War Machine had a gallop on the course proper at Eagle Farm on Tuesday and enjoyed working on top of the ground.

"He's done everything right and he looks fantastic, so we've just got to wrap him in cotton wool to get him to the big day," Ben Hayes said.

Rise At Dawn is on the quick back-up after finishing fifth in the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup at Eagle Farm last Saturday.

Rise At Dawn drops from 59kg in that race to 52.5kg under the handicap conditions on Saturday.

While it is not Lindsay Park's usual practice to back-up their horses up so quickly, Ben Hayes said Rise At Dawn had taken no ill-effect from last week's outing.

"I think you can look back to his autumn carnival when he ran in the All-Star Mile," Ben Hayes said.

"He got beaten four lengths there and then he ran fourth in a Doncaster and got beaten just under half-a-length.

"From Weight For Age last week to a handicap it's a big difference and he gets a big drop in the weights. 

"He's come through his run in good order and we're confident he can run really well.

"We haven't backed him up before, so we're learning, but he's definitely a danger, not only to War Machine, but all the others in the race."

Meanwhile, Cool Archie will chase Queensland's biggest two-year-old prize as he looks to extend a four-run winning streak in the Group 1 J.J. Atkins Stakes at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Corey Munce is hoping Cool Archie can deliver in the race. 

Corey Munce only joined father Chris, who trained Palaisipan to win the Group 1 Tatt's Tiara in 2023, as an official co-trainer in August last year but the duo have already had great success.

That success has largely been spearheaded by Cool Archie who has won the Group 2 Spirit Of Boom Classic and Group 2 BRC Sires Produce in consecutive starts.

A dominant winner coming from well back in the Sires on May 31st, Corey Munce believes the colt by first-season sire Cool Aza Beel has ticked all the boxes ahead of Saturday's feature.

"He's cool as a cucumber," Corey Munce said.

"He's come through the run pretty well. He was a little tired Sunday, but he's rebounded off the run as well as we'd like.

"Considering the run he had, he's done a really good job."

By a son of Savabeel, Cool Archie has given the stable every indication he'll relish the step to 1600 metres on Saturday.

"Zero problems there and he's probably almost run a mile with the work he's done so no concerns in that regard," Corey Munce said.

"The blinkers will remain off and you know gee whiz, he's a versatile little horse; he can be ridden very cold, he can be up there, and he can be midfield or better, so he's a very versatile and honest horse."

That versatility should come to the fore on Saturday with Cool Archie drawing centrally in barrier nine of 17.

A bit of pace work on Saturday morning was the final serious tune-up for Saturday before a 'stretch of the legs' on Tuesday morning and Corey Munce believes Cool Archie has continued to improve.

"We wouldn't have run him in the Magic Millions in January as a maidener for nothing," Corey Munce said.

"He was wide throughout that run and I think with a better barrier draw, the old cliche, he certainly finishes a lot closer.

"After the summer carnival, he only had about four or five weeks out and come straight back to attack the winter.

"He was one that just kept improving."

Cool Archie is aiming to become just the fifth horse to complete the Sires and Atkins double, most recently achieved by champion two-year-old Broadsiding.

Cool Archie is a $3.50 chance for Saturday from Chris Waller's Hidden Achievement at $4.80 who has drawn barrier six.