Trainer Robert Smerdon believes Under The Louvre's defeat in Adelaide's Goodwood last month was the reason he won an even bigger prize in the $1.5 million Stradbroke Handicap.

Under The Louvre ($11) held on to beat Black Heart Bart ($5.50) by a short half head with three-and-a-quarter lengths to The Virginian ($81) in the Group One sprint at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

It was the same quinella as the Goodwood Handicap except in that race Black Heart Bart beat Under the Louvre One by three-quarters of a length.

Smerdon said he had been disappointed to lose the Goodwood but it had told the difference in the Stradbroke.

"If we win the Goodwood we don't win today because we would not have met Black Heart Bart so much better at the weights. We met him two kilos better at the weights today and that told at the finish," Smerdon said.

"Under the Louvre is found out by the 1400m and I realised even when he loomed up to grab Black Heart Bart we would a have a fight on our hands.

"However, the Stradbroke had been on our radar for some time and it is good when a plan comes together."

Caulfield-based Smerdon has had a good season with 94 winners and Under The Louvre was his second Group One win of the season after Politeness in the Myer Classic.

Under The Louvre hadn't won since taking the Hareeba Stakes at Mornington in March last year but he has been a regular placegetter.

"He has not been unlucky all the time but things have gone against him. But for all that you have to earn a Group One win and we thought if we could get him to the Stradbroke at his best he would be hard to beat," Smerdon said.

Melbourne-based jockey Dwayne Dunn said Under The Louvre had probably had enough in the last 50m.

"He probably had emptied out but I knew Black Heart Bart had a harder run. He has been close in Group Ones a few times, so he deserved that win," Dunn said.

Brad Rawiller, who rode Black Heart Bart, asked to see the stewards film for the last 100m and was considering a protest.

But after closely examining the film he decided not to lodge an objection.

"My horse had 58kg while the winner had the drop on me, but to his credit he had a go to the wire," Rawiller said.

Jockey Rosie Myers said The Virginian, which was the extreme outsider of the field, had put in a great run and looked the winner at one stage in the straight.

"But the other horses were a bit too mature," she said.

The Virginian's trainer Toby Edmonds said people had the right to question why he would put the three-year-old in the race after only three previous starts.

"But I had confidence in him and he raced up to it," Edmonds said.

The favourite Azkadellia was 10th after never being a chance.

"Drawing the inside was no help because the track was chopped up," said jockey Damien Oliver.