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Many of the greats are in the Race History of the Newmarket Handicap run at Flemington on Saturday.
Black Caviar herself took it out in spectacular fashion so the 2023 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday has plenty to live up to.
2023 Newmarket Handicap: Nominations
2023 NEWMARKET HANDICAP - RACE HISTORY AND BACKGROUND
The Newmarket Handicap is a Group 1 race for open class sprinters at Flemington conducted by the Victoria Racing Club.
The Newmarket Handicap is run over 1200m and was introduced in 1874. It is run under Handicap conditions and the first running was taken out by Maid Of Avenel.
It was run at Caulfield in 2007 when Flemington was under reconstruction and won by Miss Andretti.
Five horses have won it twice – Aspen, Gothic, Correct, Razor Sharp and Redkirk Warrior.
The Newmarket Handicap is regarded as the best sprint handicap G1 in the world. The list of winners through history indicates that.
Three year olds are nearing maturity and hence have been fantastic saluting in 11 of last 25 editions.
Most form comes from the Lightning Stakes and Oakleigh Plate.
Last horse to do the Lightning Stakes/Newmarket Handicap double – Redkirk Warrior in 2018.
Last horse to do the Oakleigh Plate/Newmarket Handicap double – Lankan Rupee in 2014.
Many horses that ran so well at Royal Ascot are winners of the Newmarket including Takeover Target, Miss Andretti, Scenic Blast and Black Caviar and there are others who ran well at both venues but didn't win both races.
Lindsay Park has had a great record in the race. Just in the last 35 years they've had Special, Grandiose, Primacy, Isca and Redkirk Warrior x2 plus numerous placings.
One of the most famous runnings was in 2002 won by Rubitano when the first nine over the line had a length between them.
Redkirk Warrior was the first horse in 100 years to win first up in 2017. He'd win again a year on.
When Sunlight won in 2019, she had the next five horses over the line behind her having contested the last Everest in October. She won the William Reid Stakes two weeks later.
Bivouac's 2020 win meant the 2019 Golden Rose trifecta had produced the Newmarket winner, The Everest winner (Yes Yes Yes) and the Coolmore Stud Stakes winner (Exceedance). He even more brilliantly took out the VRC Sprint in the Spring.
In an extraordinary boilover in 2022, kiwi sprinters ran 1st and 4th as Roch 'N' Horse scored at 100-1 from The Astrologist (60-1), September Run (25-1) and Levante (17-1). That horse would prove the form in the Spring.
The 2023 Newmarket Handicap was worth $1.5 million.
Bart Cummings has most Newmarket wins with eight while Damien Oliver's three is most for a jockey.
Previous winners of the Newmarket Handicap include Malua (1884), Wakeful (1901), Heroic (1926), Gothic (1927,1928), Ajax (1938), Bernborough (1946), Black Onyx (1970), Baguette (1971), Maybe Mahal (1978), Placid Ark (1987), Shaftesbury Avenue (1991), Schillaci (1992), Alinghi (2005), Takeover Target (2006), Miss Andretti (2007), Black Caviar (2011), Hay List (2012), Lankan Rupee (2014), Redkirk Warrior (2017/2018), Sunlight (2019), Bivouac (2020) and Roch 'N' Horse (2022).
The 2022 Newmarket Handicap was won by Roch 'N' Horse from The Astrologist and September Run.
