Trainer Peter Moody is confident talented filly Curtana can cope with a seven-day back-up into the Group One Stradbroke Handicap following her Queensland debut in the Group Two QTC Cup at Eagle Farm on Saturday.In the spring, Curtana finished second to Star Witness in the Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes on Derby day before backing-up five days later to win the Listed Gucci Stakes down the straight six at Flemington.Curtana was given a break following her spring campaign after it was discovered sh

Trainer Peter Moody is confident talented filly Curtana can cope with a seven-day back-up into the Group One Stradbroke Handicap following her Queensland debut in the Group Two QTC Cup at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

In the spring, Curtana finished second to Star Witness in the Group One Coolmore Stud Stakes on Derby day before backing-up five days later to win the Listed Gucci Stakes down the straight six at Flemington.

Curtana was given a break following her spring campaign after it was discovered she had a chipped bone in her off-hind leg which required surgery.

Owner David Moodie believes Curtana had carried the bone fragment since she was a foal.

Curtana is unbeaten in two runs in Melbourne this campaign but has not started since winning at Caulfield on May 14.

"It's been three weeks between runs for her but it was always our intention to run this Saturday," Moody said.

"She'll have a good hitout on Saturday and that'll bring her on for the Stradbroke.

"She backed up well after running second to Star Witness in the spring and won."

Moody had nominated Curtana for last week's Doomben 10,000 but elected to bypass the Group One weight-for-age sprint in favour of the QTC Cup (1300m).

Curtana originally looked long odds to make the Stradbroke field but is on the borderline to make the $1 million feature with the race falling away dramatically.

A total of 45 still remain in the Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) after first acceptances were taken on Wednesday.

The QTC Cup winner automatically qualifies for a Stradbroke berth but it's been a hoodoo race with no QTC Cup winner going on to win Queensland's premier sprint.

Some of the country's best sprinters have tried and failed since the QTC Cup was first run in 1979.

They include Schillaci in 1992 and Hareeba in 1996.

Schillaci carried 59 kilograms in his QTC Cup triumph but could manage only sixth to Rough Habit in the Stradbroke while Hareeba had 60 kilogramsin his QTC Cup victory before finishing fifth to Danasinga in the Stradbroke.

Curtana, who will be ridden by Stephen Baster, has only 52kg in the QTC Cup but has a horror barrier in 14.

Stradbroke Handicap favourite Sincero, a Tim Clark mount, drew perfectly in barrier one.

Curtana and Queenslanders Military Rose and fourth emergency Skating On Ice are aiming to become only the fifth filly to win the QTC Cup.

Winter's Dance was the first filly to be successful in 1980 followed by Scandinavia in 1998, Chinchilla Rose (2008) and Ortensia in 2009.

Only two mares, My Gold Hope in 1982 and Nova Star in 2007, have won the QTC Cup.