Newmarket Handicap 2023 Tips, Field & Race Guide

The Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) is held at Flemington Racecourse and Melbourne’s premier sprint race during the autumn carnival.

The race offers $1.25 million in prizemoney and as a handicap has a minimum weight of 50kg.

We provide you with Newmarket Handicap tips and predictions as well as providing an in-depth guide into the runners, horses, final field, barrier draw, betting odds and information, and how you can watch a live stream to watch the race unfold.

CONTENTS: Schedule | Live Stream | Bonus Bets | Tips | Nominations | Field & Barrier Draw | Results & Replays | Odds | History | Winners | Top 5 Winners

Newmarket Handicap 2023 Schedule

Newmarket Handicap Tips

Speed and experience down the famous Flemington straight play a big part in a horses’ chances in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m).

Other factors such as form, barrier draws, speedmap and more also become a factor, and we assess all the criteria to try and find the Newmarket Handicap winner.

Our expert tipsters will provide their 2023 Newmarket Handicap Tips and selections once the final field and barrier draw has been announced.

Newmarket Handicap Nominations

The first round of nominations for the 2023 Newmarket Handicap takes place at 12pm on January 30, 2023 and a second round of nominations follows on February 21.

Newmarket Handicap Field & Barrier Draw

The final field and barrier draw for the 2023 Newmarket Handicap will be released at 9:30am March 8, 2023.

See the 2022 barrier draw below or check out our Newmarket Handicap barrier draw stats and info.

2022 Newmarket Handicap Results & Replay

See more Newmarket Handicap results and replays here.

Newmarket Handicap Odds

Leading bookmakers Sportsbet, Ladbrokes, Neds, bet365 & Palmerbet have the latest 2023 Newmarket Handicap betting odds available. There will be plenty of movements in the Newmarket Handicap betting markets in the days leading up to the race. See the latest market below or click on the links to take you direct to the bookmakers.

Newmarket Handicap History

Sprinters compete down Flemington’s famous straight in the Newmarket Handicap which is held on a day known as ‘Super Saturday.’

Standing alongside the Newmarket Handicap is the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) on the Flemington program.

Other races on Super Saturday include the Group 2 Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), Group 2 Blamey Stakes (1600m), Group 2 Kewney Stakes (1400m), Group 3 Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes (1200m) and Group 3 Schweppervescence Trophy (1600m).

The Newmarket Handicap is worth $1.25 million in prizemoney and was most recently won by The Quarterback who caused an upset at $21 in 2016.

Two lead-up races stand-out when assessing the form for the Group 1 sprint; the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) and the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m).

First run in 1874, the race was won by Maid Of Avenel after VRC committeeman Captain Frederick Standish thought a “short and merry” race over six furlongs would add interest to the Club’s autumn program.

The illustrious honour roll lists the who’s who of Australian sprinters and in recent times Newmarket Handicap winners have travelled to the UK to compete at Royal Ascot.

Brazen Beau 2015 (Diamond Jubilee Stakes – 2nd), Black Caviar (Diamond Jubilee Stakes – 1st), Scenic Blast 2009 (King’s Stand Stakes – 1st), Miss Andretti 2007 (King’s Stand Stakes – 1st) and Takeover Target 2006 (King’s Stand Stakes – 1st) have all travelled half-way around the world and franked the Australian sprinting form.

Other famous winners of the Newmarket Handicap include Malua (1884), Wakeful (1901), Heroic (1926), Ajax (1938), Bernborough (1946), Royal Gem (1948), Baguette (1971), Placid Ark (1987), Schillaci (1992), General Nediym (1998), Exceed And Excel (2004), Alinghi (2005), Weekend Hussler (2008), Hay List (2012), Lankan Rupee (2014) and Brazen Beau (2015).

Five horses in the history of the event have won the Newmarket Handicap twice with Aspen (1880-81), Gothic (1927-28), Correct (1960-61), Razor Sharp (1982-83) and Redkirk Warrior (2017-18) achieving the rare feat.

Some of the early winners of the race were able to extend their distances from 1200m right up to staying distances, as in the case of Malua who also won the Oakleigh Plate, the Adelaide Cup and the Melbourne Cup in the same year.

In 1889 he also won the Grand National Hurdle while he was serving his stud career having sired Malvolio from the mare Madcap, whose sire was the famous Robinson Crusoe of ‘Shipwreck’ fame; Malvolio won the Melbourne Cup in 1891.

Ajax won the Newmarket Handicap in 1938 in what was part of an 18-race winning streak until he ran in the Rawson Plate at 40/1 on ($1.025) in a three-horse race and was beaten; a member of the Australian Racing Hall of Fame, Ajax only missed a place once in 46 starts and was one of the most versatile racehorses of all-time.

As well as being remembered for his freakish talent, Ajax will also be remembered for being the shortest priced favourite to get rolled in Australian racing history.

The race record is held by the immortal Black Caviar who ran 1:07.36 in 2011.

Newmarket Handicap Winners (Since 2000)

Top 5 Newmarket Handicap Winners

Click here to see our Top 5 Newmarket Handicap Winners.

Newmarket Handicap Live Stream

Australia’s leading bookmaker TAB offers you the chance to watch the 2023 Newmarket Handicap free of charge courtesy of their Sky Racing vision.

TAB will be streaming the action from every Australian thoroughbred, greyhound and harness race live after linking up with Sky Racing to broadcast Sky Racing 1, Sky Racing 2 and Sky Thoroughbred Central.

As well as watching every race in all three racing codes, you can also check the form and bet on them too at TAB via Desktop or the impressive App.

T&Cs Apply. Vision available for all three Sky Racing channels. Data charges may apply.

Watch the 2023 Newmarket Handicap with TAB.

Newmarket Handicap Bonus Bets

Australia’s leading bookmakers offer horse racing promotions and bonus bets every day of the week and the offers really ramp up on Saturday covering most races.

From Double Your Winnings, Cash Back offers and Bonus Bet Back for finishing 2nd, 3rd and even 4th, there are plenty of promos to sink your teeth into.

Racingbase hunts down all the daily bookmaker promos and bonus bets and displays them on one page with their T&C’s so you can see what is on offer.

Flemington Racecoure: Everything You Need To Know

To read all about Flemington Racecourse, including the history of the track and which Group 1 races will be held at Flemington, click the button below.