Hugh Bowman will once again be the man aboard Black Piranha when the horse shoots for a third straight Stradbroke Handicap title at Eagle Farm.

Bowman has been booked for every ride of the gelding throughout the rest of the Brisbane Winter Carnival.

Despite now being a seven-year-old, trainer Con Karakatsanis believes that in 2011 Black Piranha is looking even better than he did before his two previous wins.

“He’s going better than he was going into his last two Stradbrokes,” Karakatsanis said

“I’m happy with the weight he’s been given (56kg) it’s only a 0.5kg increase on his win last year.

“It’s good to have Hugh on board for the carnival, he’s ridden the horse before.”

Black Piranha was a first up fifth in the BTC Cup last weekend and considering both Black Caviar and Hay List are unlikely to run his performance is probably worth a little bit more.

Even with that run on 85% fitness Karakatsanis was expecting a little bit more out of the race.

“He sat last and they ran home in 32.8 seconds, the first four round the turn were the first four home,” he said.

In previous years Black Piranha has run in the Sydney Autumn carnival before coming to Brisbane so his longer spell should mean he’ll have more in the tank by the time they hit the Stradbroke.

“He’s so fresh and well because he missed the autumn, he’s going to peak on Stradbroke day,” he said.

“He’ll need to be better than in previous years cause he has that little bit more weight and the field is shaping up as a strong one.”

While his record in the last two years is fairly bare, the horse seems to grow a new leg at Eagle Farm during the beginning of June.

His last victory was his win in the 2010 Stradbroke Handicap and previous to that he hadn’t won an event since his 2009 triumph.