History says...

2024 will see the 151st running of the iconic straight feature handicap. The Newmarket Handicap was first conducted in1874. 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.

Fourteen horses have won the Lightning Stakes-Newmarket Handicap double since 1970 with 29 of the past 68 winners of the Newmarket, competing in the Lightning in the lead up top the six furlong sprint. 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.

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.

Imperatriz

Trainer: Mark Walker

5YO Bay or Brown Mare

Sire: I Am Invincible

Dam: Berimbau (Shamardal (USA))

Career: 24:18-2-1

Prizemoney: $5,964,799 

Flemington highlights: 1^st  2023 G1 Champions Sprint, 1^st 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.

Magic Time

Trainer: Grahame Begg

4YO Bay Mare

Sire: Hellbent

Dam: Time Awaits (Nicconi)

Career: 8:5-0-2

Prizemoney: $1,205,775

Flemington highlights: 1^st 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.

Buenos Noches

Trainer: Matthew Smith

4YO Bay or Brown Horse

Sire: Supido

Dam: Koi (Northern Meteor)

Career: 12:3-2-2

Prizemoney: $1,925,900

Flemington highlights: 2^nd 2023 G1 Champions Sprint, 3^rd 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.

Benedetta

Trainer: Jason Warren

4YO Bay or Brown Mare

Sire: Hellbent

Dam: Whatalovelyday (Domesday)

Career: 11:6-0-3

Prizemoney: $954,875 

Flemington highlights: 1^st 2023 Inglis Sprint, 3^rd 2023 L Sunlight Classic, 3^rd 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.

Private Eye

Trainer: Joe Pride

6YO Brown Gelding

Sire: Al Maher

Dam: Confidential Queen (Shamardal (USA))

Career: 31:11-5-2

Prizemoney: $10,416,185

Flemington highlights: 1^st 2022 G2 Gilgai Stakes, 4^th 2023 G1 Newmarket Handicap, 2^nd 2024 G1 Black Caviar Lightning

One of the main chances Private Eye was a Group 1 winner at a mile earlier in his career and has amassed over $10 million in prizemoney. But in the latter part of his career the focus has been on the sprint trips and he has been a force to be reckoned with. He was victorious down the Flemington straight in the spring of 2022 with his trainer Joe Pride aiming him at the 2023 Newmarket Handicap, fresh from a spell, a feat only achieved once in the last 100-year history of the great sprint race. He finished a credible fourth. He returned to Flemington for the first time since and was outstanding in the Black Caviar Lightning behind mighty mare, Imperatriz. 

Sghirripa

Trainer: Shane & Cassie Oxlade

4YO Grey/Black Gelding

Sire: Lonhro

Dam: Wonder I Do (Encosta De Lago)

Career: 15:7-2-3

Prizemoney: $522,115

Flemington highlights: 1^st  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.

The Astrologist

Trainer: Leon & Troy Corstens

7YO Bay Gelding

Sire: Zoustar

Dam: Aquada (Flying Spur)

Career: 42:8-6-8

Prizemoney: $2,710,464

Flemington highlights: 1^st 2021 L All Victorian Sprint Series Final, 1^st 2021 G3 Aurie's Star Handicap, 2^nd 2022 G1 Newmarket Handicap, 3^rd 2021 G2 Bobbie Lewis Quality, 3^rd 2022 G3 Standish Handicap, 3^rd 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. 

Bella Nipotina

Trainer: Ciaron Maher

6YO Chestnut Mare

Sire: Pride Of Dubai

Dam: Bella Orfana (Star Witness)

Career: 44:7-9-11

Prizemoney: $8,044,125

Flemington highlights: 2^nd 2021 Inglis Dash, 3^rd 2021 G1 VRC Sprint Classic, 3^rd 2021 L Incognito Stakes, 3^rd 2023 G1 Black Caviar Lightning, 4^th 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.

Master Fay

Trainer: Chad Ormsby

6YO Bay Horse

Sire: Deep Field

Dam: Keeping Score (NZ) (Keeper)

Career: 3:3-0-0

Prizemoney: $237,198

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.

Ruthless Dame (NZ)

Trainer: Ciaron Maher

4YO Bay or Brown Mare

Sire: Tavistock (NZ)

Dam: Ruthless Lady (NZ) (Keeper)

Career: 12:3-2-1 

Prizemoney: $1,196,875

Flemington highlights: 1^st 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.

Cylinder

Trainer: James Cummings

3YO Bay Colt

Sire: Exceed And Excel

Dam: Circular (Street Cry (IRE))

Career: 12:4-3-1

Prizemoney: $2,791,740

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.