Mid Summer Music has caused a major upset today, taking out the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm.

The six-year-old mare was not highly regarded to win the race, not even by trainer Peter Moody.

Mid Summer Music caused an upset to win the Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm - photo © Daniel Costello

Race favourite Sea Siren, who was looking to be the first horse to win the BTC Cup, Doomben 10,000 and Stradbroke Handicap in the same carnival, started brilliantly and shot to the front before settling fourth, letting Listen Son take over the lead from Tiger Tees and Buffering. Mid Summer Music was travelling midfield.

Buffering hit the lead with 200m to go and looked like the winner, but Mid Summer Music got a superb run with jockey Luke Nolen and drew away to win by almost 2 lengths from Buffering.

Happy Zero was impressive in third, in a photo finish for the minor placings with Buffering. Pinwheel was fourth.

Buffering ran a courageous race, three wide from most of the race and starting from barrier 14. A local horse trained by Robert Heathcote, Buffering received warm applause from the Queensland crowd as he returned to scale.

Sea Siren could only manage 9th.

It was a major improvement from Mid Summer Music’s last run, a ninth two weeks ago at Doomben in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000.

Neither Luke Nolen or Peter Moody thought Mid Summer Music was a Group 1 contender today.

Moody, who is a proud Queenslander, was stoked to win the feature race of the Brisbane Winter Carnival.

“It’s tremendous isn’t it? This is as good as it gets. This is the ultimate in Queensland racing and tremendous thrill,” Moody said.

“I’ve got to be honest, I didn’t expect it, and that makes it all the better. I doubted her and she’s made a mug out of me again and I hope she continues doing it for a while.”