Newmarket Handicap Tips & Preview 2023

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

NEWMARKET HANDICAP BETTING SNAPSHOT

The last start Lightning Stakes (1000m) runner-up, I Wish I Win is the $4.40 favourite with Palmerbet ahead of the 2022 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) winner, I’m Secret at the $5. 

Lofty Strike will be looking to go one spot better than his last start runner-up performance in the Oakleigh Plate (1100m) and is at $8, while Private Eye is the other runner under double figures at $8.50. Buenos Noches heads the rest of the 16-horse field at the $12. 

NEWMARKET HANDICAP FORM ANALYSIS

Five runners come out of the Lightning Stakes and I Wish I Win settled last of the 10 runners in the Flemington Group 1 on February 18 before going 21.04 over the last 400m to finish within half a length from the winner, Coolangatta. 

He should only improve second up and over the 1200m. Bella Nipotina produced her usual honest performance to stick on well for 3rd, while September Run was just over half a length away in 4th position. Buenos Noches is another that looks like he wants the 1200m and was 5th, while Baller was 7th. 

Buenos Noches is one of three horse in the race aged three. The others are In Secret and Lofty Strike. Those three finished in the top four in the Coolmore Stud Stakes last spring, with the filly, In Secret, winning by two lengths, going 10.5 lengths faster than standard benchmark. 

She looked a star that day and resumed with a win in the Light Fingers Stakes (1200m) at Randwick before a bit of a luckless display when 3rd in the Surround Stakes (1400m). Drop back to the 1200m might be her go and we know she likes Flemington. 

Lofty Strike comes off a big performance in the Oakleigh Plate when flying home from well back to go 13.7 lengths faster than standard, which is the same as I Wish I Win’s personal best that he set in the Toorak Handicap (1600m) last year. Only Bell Nipotina has produced a better figure when going 15.9 lengths faster than standard in the Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley last October. 

Roch N Horse likes the 1200m and claimed the Newmarket at big odds last year before taking out the Champions Sprint (1200m) in the spring. She carries 3kg more than what she did last year but is not to be underestimated. 

Private Eye resumes and carries the 58kg. The five-year-old brained his opposition in the Gilgai Stakes (1200m) at the same stage of his spring preparation at the track and trip, going 13 lengths faster than standard benchmark and is three from six first up. ‘

Mazu is another that resumes. His peak figure at his last preparation came when third up in the Everest, placing behind Giga Kick, going 11.3 lengths faster than standard. Front Page might be a bit of a diamond in the rough and will give them something to chase, while he has produced solid figures at Flemington in the past and carries just 52kg. 

NEWMARKET HANDICAP TIPS AND BEST BETS

A lot to digest here and plenty of chances but it could not have been a better trial from I Wish I Win, who smashed the clock late in the piece to finish runner-up in the Lightning Stakes. The main dangers for mine include Private Eye and Lofty Strike. Front Page might be one to add into exotics. I Wish I Win might be just behind Private Eye and Lofty Strike at the 400m as he likes to get back but should get a clear shot at them from barrier 14, while the tempo in the race looks on the better side of even.