Several proven Group 1 performers will climax their preparations in the Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday with a lucrative $3 million purse on the line.

Headley Grange ($5.50f) leads the call after his Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) win two weeks ago, while fellow Group 1 champion Fangirl ($6.50) is next in line.

The nearest Group 1 hero in the betting is Transatlantic ($11), who looms as Queensland’s best chance of keeping their famous trophy locally.

The now five-year-old scraped into last year’s field and managed only ninth but experienced a breakout preparation later in 205, taking the Toorak Handicap (1600m) in Melbourne.

“It’s a bit tougher this time around; there is always a lot of pressure in a Stradbroke,” his jockey Tommy Berry said.

“He’s a horse who can handle pressure, though. He’s done that in the past, and he’s placed at 1800. His stamina isn’t going to be an issue.

“He’s just going to need a little bit of luck in that first half and if he gets it, he’ll be right in the finish.

“The good thing is he’s from Queensland, so he hasn’t had to travel this preparation, he has been home the whole time. He enjoys a bit of give in the ground and he is trained by Tony Gollan. There’s a lot of ticks there.”

The Peter Moody-trained Desert Lightning ($31) won the Group 1 Goodwood (1200m) only a month ago before finishing eighth in the Kingsford Smith Cup.

“He did a bit of work in the run in the Kingsford Smith, but I think it’s brought him on nicely for the Stradbroke,” said Moody, a former Queenslander who won the 2012 edition with Mid Summer Music.

“He goes there in terrific order. More importantly, we’ve just got to be good enough and that’s quite often the problem.

“It’s always a tremendous time of year in Queensland and made even better if you can win a race or two.”

Four-year-old hometown mare Spicy Martini ($13) burst into Stradbroke contention with her second placing behind Rothfire ($20) in the Doomben 10,000 four weeks ago.

Interestingly, her trainer Toby Edmonds says her form surge can be attributed to her farrier Scott Byrne.

“Her conformation means we have to help her with shoes, and Scott has got it right with her,” Edmonds told Betsy.

“He has devoted hundreds of hours to her, getting the right angles is so important to her to feel comfortable.

“This is her best preparation because her shoes have been right.

“He is a magician. If they are a millimetre out, she is not comfortable and can’t perform.

“She got her race plates for the Stradbroke earlier in the week and she is so happy. So was Scott, which is probably as important.”