Epsom Handicap Tips & Preview 2023

Looking for Epsom Handicap tips and best bets? We dissect times and form to find the winner of the 2023 Epsom Handicap at Randwick.

EPSOM HANDICAP BETTING SNAPSHOT

The 2023 edition of the Epsom is wide-open and The Inevitable heads the market with Picklebet at $5.75, just head of the Doncaster Mile placegetter, Nugget at $8. Hope In Your Heart is at $8.50, while Chris Waller’s promising four-year-old, Kovalica, is the only other runner under $10 and is at $9.50.

There are 20 runners plus the two emergencies that have accepted for the $1.5 million dollar time-honoured classic and it is a bit of a logjam with Rediener ($12), Converge ($13), Pounding ($16) and Democracy Manifest ($16) in the mix for Group 1 glory.

EPSOM HANDICAP FORM ANALYSIS

The Epsom contenders come from a variety of lead up races, including the Shannon Stakes (1500m), Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m), Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) and the 7 Stakes (1600m). 

Rediener claimed the Bill Ritchie Handicap, going 6.9 lengths faster than standard benchmark, which is the second best last start figure of any runner. The Chris Waller-trained galloper has won three on the trot either side of a spell. He was fresh that day and drops 3kg in weight. His personal best came when second up at his last preparation, improving three lengths on figures to go 7.5 lengths faster than standard when 4th over the 1400m at Randwick. 

Converge (4th), Barbie’s Fox (7th), Olentia (8th) and Political Debate (9th) also come out of the Bill Ritchie. Of that quartet, Barbie’s Fox and Olentia produced the best late splits and should enjoy the 1600m. 

Three runners come out of the Shannon Stakes and they are Williamsburg (2nd), Waterford (3rd) and Kirwan’s Lane (6th). Williamsburg went 6.2 lengths faster than standard and drops 3kg. They went very slow early on in that race and Waterford produced the fastest splits from the 600m to the 200m before lining just over a length from the winner. 

The Theo Marks Stakes was held on September 9 at Rosehill and it was the 2022 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) winner, Golden Mile, that bounced back into form, settling on the speed before holding out The Inevitable by less than half a length. 

The Godolphin galloper went 4.6 lengths faster than standard, with that coming off a slow tempo in the early stages. He is 1.5kg worse off at the weights against The Inevitable and draws barrier 21. Nugget might be the one out of the Theo Marks. The Maher/Eustace galloper was 4th in what was a good return. He will enjoy the step up to the 1600m and capped off an excellent autumn with a 3rd placing in the Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Randwick last autumn. 

Madame Pommery (8th) and Kovalica (9th) were also in the Theo Marks. They had little chance from the back. Kovalica rises to the 1600m and is unbeaten in three goes at the distance. We can expect improvement from the son of Ocean Park. 

Three runners come out of the 7 Stakes and they are My Oberon (4th), Going Global (6th) and Diamil (9th). My Oberon is capable but his best figures come on Soft-Heavy tracks since coming to Australia. Going Global hasn’t done much since coming to Australia. Diamil will need a genuine tempo and probably wants further than the 1600m. 

Two runners come up from Melbourne and they are Pounding and Duke De Sessa. Pounding boasts the best last start figures of any runner, having gone a healthy 10.7 lengths faster than standard benchmark when 4th in the Feehan Stakes (1600m) behind Pinstriped. He boasts some excellent form this year and is worth thought. Duke De Sessa is a roughie that pulled up with issues out of the Memsie. He is a Maher/Eustace import that was an unlucky 8th in the Doncaster at his only other Australian start. 

Democracy Manifest and Hope In Your Heart are other contenders in the race. Democracy Manifest claimed the Cameron Handicap (1500m) in dominant fashion at Newcastle at his most recent start. One of four in the race for Waller, he might need to produce a personal best but is a live chance with 51.5kg on his back from barrier 1. 

Hope In Your Heart was an unlucky 3rd when first up in the Tramway Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on September 2. She was excellent at her last preparation at this stage when 4th in the Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill before again finishing in that spot in the Doncaster Mile. 

EPSOM HANDICAP TIPS AND BEST BETS

Keen on Nugget in the Epsom. The Maher/Eustace galloper will strip fitter for this and his two runs at the Randwick mile have produced a win on a Good deck last December before his 3rd in the Doncaster. He consistently produced some excellent figures over the summer and autumn period and gets the services of Damien Oliver, who is bowing out later in the year. The experienced jockey might look to push up from the barrier to sit just behind the speed in a race that lacks a genuine tempo. Pounding is another that can make his presence felt. He has gone more than 10 lengths faster than standard in his two runs this time in. The Sydney way of going is an unknown but the Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained five-year-old has an excellent record over the 1600m and will be ridden by Jamie Kah, who is two from four for the stable.