Yulong Newmarket Handicap contenders
The 151st running of the Group 1 Yulong Newmarket Handicap (1200m) is once again one of the highlights of the Flemington Racing Spectacular. We take a look at the contenders.
History says...
2024 will see the 151st running of the iconic straight feature handicap. The Newmarket Handicap was first conducted in 1874. In 1878, three-year-old grey filly, Lady Ellen, carried 6 stone 5 pounds (approximately 40kg). A record 38 runners contested the 1925 edition of the race, signifying it's rise to prominence. In 1930, a weight record was set when Greenline lumped 10 stone 2 pounds (approximately 64.5kg) to victory with Phar Lap's jockey Jim Pike on board.
Unbeaten wonder mare Black Caviar holds the race record of 1:07.36, a time she set while carrying a modern weight record of 58kg for a mare.
Although the Black Caviar Lightning winner hasn’t scored for six years, fourteen horses have won the Lightning Stakes-Newmarket Handicap double from 49 who have attempted it with 29 of the past 68 winners of the Newmarket, competing in the Lightning in the lead up. 53 winners of the Newmarket have come through Caulfield's feature sprint, the Oakleigh Plate, with ten capturing the spring handicap Oakleigh Plate-Newmarket Handicap double. The last being the Mick Price-trained Lankan Rupee in 2014.
More commonly known for his feats as a trainer of a record twelve Melbourne Cup winners, but also unsurprisingly, Bart Cummings leads the way training the most Newmarket Handicap winners with eight. Craig Newitt shares the riding honours of three wins in the race with some other fine jockeys Harold Badger, Athol Mulley, Harry White and Damien Oliver.
Three-year-olds have a great record in the race having won three of the past five and 11 of the past 25 runnings. Inside barriers have been to the fore in recent years with only one horse winning from a barrier wider than eight in the past nine years and that was Redkirk Warrior in 2018.
Speed Map
They are likely to build into the quick tempo as most of these horses like to take a sit. It’s likely to shape up well for Imperatriz who will go forward with The Astrologist from an outside draw and Master Fay. Bella Nipotina will be following Imperatriz wherever she goes. Buenos Noches with the blinkers on could settle closer. If the track plays to swoopers then Benedetta will be coming home out wide. The race looks set up nicely for Imperatriz.
3:05pm - Race 5 - YULONG NEWMARKET HANDICAP (1200m)
$1,500,000 - Group 1 - Handicap
Final Acceptances
TAB # | Silks | Last 10 | Horse | Barrier | Age/Sex | Trainer | Jockey | Weight |
1 | 121x1111x1 | Imperatriz | 3 | 5YO Mare | Mark Walker | Opie Bosson | 58kg | |
2 | 36x33315x4 | Bella Nipotina | 4 | 6YO Mare | Ciaron Maher | Craig Williams | 55.5kg | |
3 | x57x1382x4 | Buenos Noches | 9 | 4YO Horse | Matthew Smith | Blake Shinn | 55.5kg | |
4 | 17x21714x3 | Espiona SCR | 8 | 5YO Mare | Chris Waller | Jye McNeil | 54.5kg | |
5 | 0150x7527x | Ruthless Dame (NZ) | 2 | 4YO Mare | Ciaron Maher | Damian Lane | 53.5kg | |
6 | 1x13x5131x | Magic Time | 12 | 4YO Mare | Grahame Begg | Michael Dee | 53kg | |
7 | 062725x957 | The Astrologist | 14 | 7YO Gelding | Leon & Troy Corstens | Declan Bates | 52.5kg | |
8 | 113x1134x4 | Benedetta | 11 | 4YO Mare | Jason Warren | Harry Coffey | 52kg | |
9 | 423134043x | It'sourtime | 1 | 6YO Gelding | Danny O'Brien | Linda Meech | 52kg | |
10 | 1x11 | Master Fay | 10 | 6YO Horse | Chad Ormsby | Dean Yendall | 52kg | |
11 | 1134111219 | Rey Magnerio SCR | 7 | 4YO Gelding | Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock | Daniel Moor | 52kg | |
12 | 145x113117 | Sghirripa | 6 | 4YO Gelding | Shane & Cassie Oxlade | Craig Newitt | 52kg | |
13 | 22x21615x0 | Skew Wiff (NZ) | 5 | 4YO Mare | Mark Walker | Celine Gaudray (a) | 52kg | |
14 | 27x11350x6 | Cylinder | 13 | 3YO Colt | James Cummings | Jamie Kah | 51.5kg |
Imperatriz
5YO Bay or Brown Mare
Sire: I Am Invincible
Dam: Berimbau (Shamardal (USA))
Career: 24:18-2-1
Prizemoney: $5,964,799
Jockey: Opie Bosson
Weight: 58kg
Barrier: 3
Flemington highlights: 1st 2023 G1 Champions Sprint, 1st 2024 G1 Black Caviar Lightning
After some deliberation the world’s best sprinter will take her place in the world's best sprint Newmarket Handicap where she will try and stretch her winning sequence to seven wins in a row. The nine-time Group 1 winner will be attempting to follow in Black Caviar’s footsteps by winning the three major sprints at Flemington in succession, the VRC Sprint Classic, the Black Caviar Lightning and the Newmarket handicap. Black Caviar carried 58 kilos when she won the Newmarket Handicap in 2011 and that’s the same weight Imperatriz will carry. From barrier three she will be in the leading group throughout in a race where the early tempo may not be that quick.
Bella Nipotina
6YO Chestnut Mare
Sire: Pride Of Dubai
Dam: Bella Orfana (Star Witness)
Career: 44:7-9-11
Prizemoney: $8,044,125
Jockey: Craig Williams
Weight: 55.5kg
Barrier: 4
Flemington highlights: 2nd 2021 Inglis Dash, 3rd 2021 G1 VRC Sprint Classic, 3rd 2021 L Incognito Stakes, 3rd 2023 G1 Black Caviar Lightning, 4th 2024 G1 Black Caviar Lightning
Group 1-winning mare who is a perennial performer at this level and invariably she puts in a good run. She has yet to win a G1 down the straight but she’s run some magnificent races at this level. She was far from disgraced when coming from back in the field in the Darley Champions Sprint when beaten only two lengths. Her record boasts 27 Top 3 finishes from 44 career starts, with the majority of those at stakes level, she's an absolute model of consistency. She put in another solid effort first-up this campaign when she finished fourth in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning and will meet the winner of that race, Imperatriz, better at the weights. She’s drawn to get a good run following Imperatriz.
Buenos Noches
4YO Bay or Brown Horse
Sire: Supido
Dam: Koi (Northern Meteor)
Career: 12:3-2-2
Prizemoney: $1,925,900
Jockey: Blake Shinn
Weight: 55.5kg
Barrier: 9
Flemington highlights: 2nd 2023 G1 Champions Sprint, 3rd 2022 G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes
He’s a straight-track specialist who looked spot on for this when he won a recent Flemington jump-out. His run where he finished second to Imperatriz in the 2023 Darley Champions Sprint gave his connections confidence they could knock off the superstar Imperatriz as he took the race up to her in the closing stages, where he finished a half-a-length off her. He will be meeting her considerably better at the weights due to the handicap conditions of the race. Forget his failure in last year’s Newmarket Handicap as he pulled up lame. Barrier nine will suit his style of racing ideally as he can build momentum down the outside.
Espiona
5YO Bay Mare
Sire: Extreme Choice
Dam: Dahooil (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Career: 19:7-2-2
Prizemoney: $3,033,215
SCRATCHED
Ruthless Dame (NZ)
4YO Bay or Brown Mare
Sire: Tavistock (NZ)
Dam: Ruthless Lady (NZ) (Keeper)
Career: 12:3-2-1
Prizemoney: $1,196,875
Jockey: Damian Lane
Weight: 53.5kg
Barrier: 2
Flemington highlights: 1st 2022 G3 Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes
Although she’s a G1 winner of the Robert Sangster Stakes she’s a mare who has flown under the radar. She also finished second in the Group 1 Surround Stakes last year as a three-year-old filly. She campaigned in Sydney last spring with her best effort a second in The Invitation. She has had one start over 1200 metres at Flemington for a win at Group 2 level as a two-year-old. Ciaron Maher has a happy knack of getting things right. She’s drawn to get a nice run on the speed.
Magic Time
4YO Bay Mare
Sire: Hellbent
Dam: Time Awaits (Nicconi)
Career: 8:5-0-2
Prizemoney: $1,205,775
Jockey: Michael Dee
Weight: 53kg
Barrier: 12
Flemington highlights: 1st 2022 L Springtime Stakes
Astute trainer Grahame Begg has targeted the Yulong Newmarket Handicap with his lightly raced mare Magic Time who broke through for her maiden Group 1 win when she won the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield last November. Begg has always had a big opinion of this mare who has only been beaten in three of her eight career starts, where she was unlucky on all three occasions. History isn’t on Begg’s side as when Redkirk Warrior won the Newmarket Handicap in 2017 he became the first horse since 1917 to have won the Newmarket Handicap first up from a spell. She has drawn out and will ride the speed out wide.
The Astrologist
7YO Bay Gelding
Sire: Zoustar
Dam: Aquada (Flying Spur)
Career: 42:8-6-8
Prizemoney: $2,710,464
Jockey: Declan Bates
Weight: 52.5kg
Barrier: 14
Flemington highlights: 1st 2021 L All Victorian Sprint Series Final, 1st 2021 G3 Aurie's Star Handicap, 2nd 2022 G1 Newmarket Handicap, 3rd 2021 G2 Bobbie Lewis Quality, 3rd 2022 G3 Standish Handicap, 3rd 2022 G3 Rising Fast Stakes
Globetrotting veteran who finished second in the 2022 Newmarket Handicap to Roch ‘N’ Horse at $61 after he finished seventh in the 2022 Black Caviar Lightning. He finished in the same spot this year behind Imperatriz but was beaten only 4.25 lengths compared to six lengths in 2022. He carried 52.5kg in the 2022 Newmarket Handicap when finishing second and 54.5kg last year when sixth behind In Secret. He has had three starts since returning from his successful 2023 overseas trip to Dubai and the United Kingdom. Drawing out suits his style of racing. He will look a threat at some stage.
Benedetta
4YO Bay or Brown Mare
Sire: Hellbent
Dam: Whatalovelyday (Domesday)
Career: 11:6-0-3
Prizemoney: $954,875
Jockey: Harry Coffey
Weight: 52kg
Barrier: 11
Flemington highlights: 1st 2023 Inglis Sprint, 3rd 2023 L Sunlight Classic, 3rd 2023 G2 Bobbie Lewis Quality
Gifted sprinting mare who was held up at key stages in the straight when she finished a first-up fourth in the Oakleigh Plate. She loves 1200m at Flemington which gives her a chance to use her powerful finishing burst. She will also be ridden by Harry Coffey who won the Oakleigh Plate on Queman. Her connections would be thrilled with her drawing wide as that will give her the chance to swoop late which is her preferred style.
It'sourtime
6YO Bay Gelding
Sire: Time For War
Dam: Zedoble (Zeditave)
Career: 26:5-8-5
Prizemoney: $752,725
Jockey: Linda Meech
Weight: 52kg
Barrier: 1
Flemington highlights: 1st 2023 G3 Aurie’s Star Handicap, 1st 2023 L Straight Six, 2nd 2023 L All Victorian Sprint Final, 2nd 2022 G3 Standish Handicap, 3rd 2023 L Always Welcome Stakes, 4th 2023 G2 Bobbie Lewis Quality
Interesting project by trainer Danny O’Brien by targeting the Newmarket Handicap with his straight track specialist. He will only carry 52 kilos which will be a luxury for him. He’s jumped out well and he finished fourth in the Bobbie Lewis Quality behind top class sprinters Star Patrol and King Of Sparta, with Benedetta third in what was a fast time last year. They will look to get a smother from barrier one and then hopefully get some clear air late.
Master Fay
6YO Bay Horse
Sire: Deep Field
Dam: Keeping Score (NZ) (Keeper)
Career: 3:3-0-0
Prizemoney: $237,198
Jockey: Dean Yendall
Weight: 52kg
Barrier: 10
Flemington highlights: Yet to start at Flemington
One of the most fascinating runners to have ever contested a Newmarket Handicap as he will be having just his fourth start as a six-year-old in his third country. He was sold from Chad Ormsby’s stables after an impressive trial win to Hong Kong where he won his debut comfortably in January of 2021 at Sha Tin. He then had problems and was retired from racing and Ormsby said he would look after him. After nine months in the paddock, Ormsby put him back into work and he has won both of his starts in brilliant fashion. Intriguing runner. Probably the ideal draw for a horse only having his fourth start. Experienced jockey on board should have him some near the speed and ready to pounce if good enough.
Rey Magnerio
4YO Brown Gelding
Sire: Magnus
Dam: Luchardo (Testa Rossa)
Career: 10:6-1-1
Prizemoney: $302,475
SCRATCHED
Sghirripa
4YO Grey/Black Gelding
Sire: Lonhro
Dam: Wonder I Do (Encosta De Lago)
Career: 15:7-2-3
Prizemoney: $522,115
Jockey: Craig Newitt
Weight: 52kg
Barrier: 6
Flemington highlights: 1st 2024 G3 Standish Handicap
The South Australian father/daughter training combination has already taken out one of Melbourne’s feature sprints when stablemate Queman won the Oakleigh Plate. In that race Sghirripa also ran a big race, powering home from last running the fastest last 400m of the day with a sectional of 22.17 seconds to finish seventh. He has had one start down the straight for a win in the Standish Handicap which followed his win in the Christmas Stakes at Caulfield. Middle draw and should position somewhere behind the lead. A big striding horse carrying 52kg could definitely be in the mix if he gets the right runs, with Craig Newitt looking to become the most successful jockey in the 151-year-old sprint's history.
Skew Wiff (NZ)
4YO Bay Mare
Sire: Savabeel
Dam: Starvoia (Starcraft (NZ))
Career: 17: 4-5-0
Prizemoney: $561,831
Jockey: Celine Gaudray (a)
Weight: 52kg
Barrier: 5
Flemington highlights: 1st 2023 G3 Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes
Imperatriz’s lower profile stablemate who finished 13th in the Oakleigh Plate but she missed the start and settled a long way off the leaders so the run wasn’t too bad. Her best form is over 1400 metres which is often what is needed to run a strong 1200m in the Newmarket Handicap. Apprentice Celine Gaudray gets a fantastic opportunity in a feature sprint and will be following the mare's stablemate into the race and would need to be at her very best to go past her.
Cylinder
3YO Bay Colt
Sire: Exceed And Excel
Dam: Circular (Street Cry (IRE))
Career: 12:4-3-1
Prizemoney: $2,791,740
Jockey: Jamie Kah
Weight: 51.5kg
Barrier: 13
Flemington highlights: Unplaced in two Group 1 starts at Flemington
James Cummings has had great success in the race with three-year-olds winning two of the past four editions with Bivouac in 2020 and In Secret last year. Three-year-olds have also won three of the past five editions. Cylinder was well held in the Black Caviar Lightning but has great talent as he demonstrated last spring with his second in the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes in Sydney. The in-form Jamie Kah will ride him right at the bottom of the weights and has drawn the grandstand side with only The Astrologist drawn outside him.