Redzel is the most notable omission from the Newmarket Handicap 2018 first acceptances taken for the Super Saturday sprint at Flemington Racecourse on March 10.
Redzel has been ruled out of the Newmarket Handicap 2018 at Flemington this Super Saturday. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Racing Victoria took first declarations for both the Group 1 $1.5 million Australian Cup (2000m) and the Group 1 $1.25 million Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m) on Tuesday.
Down from 56 sprinters at nomination stage, the Newmarket Handicap first acceptances drew 33 hopefuls but Peter & Paul Snowden’s inaugural The Everest champion Redzel was not among the potential runners.
Redzel returned to racing for the first time since his Group 1 Darley Classic (1200m) success at the Newmarket track / distance from the spring in last Saturday’s Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m).
A winner of just shy of $8 million in prize money, the son of Snitzel was odds-on and looked the winner until the final seconds when Redkirk Warrior flashed home for the narrow upset.
Race fans are denied a rematch between the Black Caviar Lightning quinella in the Newmarket Handicap however with Redzel more likely to contest a race like the Group 1 $500,000 William Reid Stakes (1200m) at the Valley on March 23 before heading to Sydney for the 2018 TJ Smith Stakes.
Heading the Newmarket Handicap first declarations then is the returning champion, the Lindsay Park-trained Redkirk Warrior chasing successive wins in the autumn feature since Razor Sharp (1982-83).
Last autumn the Hong Kong expat made history as the maiden first-up Newmarket Handicap winner in a century and the now seven-year-old pays $8 to go back-to-back in 2018.
Sure to be lumped with a notable weight penalty, the bookies are still taking no chances with Redkirk Warrior who is three-from-four at the Flemington track after his blistering late win in the Black Caviar Lightning that last produced a Newmarket winner in Brazen Beau (2nd in 2015).
The David Hayes-led Lindsay Park stable have a total of 10 Newmarket Handicap first acceptances with other standouts for the team including last year’s Blue Diamond winning filly Catchy and the imported Fastnet Tempest who won on Emirates Stakes Day at Flemington last season.
Heading the Newmarket Handicap betting markets at Ladbrokes.com.au post-first acceptances at $4.50 for the win meanwhile is the Aaron Purcell-trained Merchant Navy.
The three-year-old son of Fastnet Rock saluted down the famous Flemington ‘Straight Six’ at elite level against his own kind in the spring taking out the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m).
He returned on February 10 at Caulfield taking on the older sprinters when far from disgraced crossing just a quarter-length back third to Super Cash in the Group 2 Rubiton Stakes (1100m).
From 2010 – 2-17 a trio of three-year-olds have won the Newmarket Handicap, most recently the aforementioned Brazen Beau (2015), and there is money on Merchant Navy to be the next in 2018.
The other best fancied of the Newmarket Handicap first acceptors by the bookies at $6 is Rich Charm for colourful Cranbourne-based trainer Mrs Udyta Clarke.
The five-year-old son of Danerich is a Flemington specialist (5:3-0-1) including his Group 2 Linlithgow Stakes (1200m) win at the track on VRC Derby Day.
Rich Charm kicked off his autumn in the Rubiton running a close fourth and is set to improve getting back up to his pet distance of 1200m (10:6-2-1).
Other standout Newmarket Handicap first acceptances include Team Hawkes’ triple TJ Smith Stakes champion Chautauqua, the Golden Slipper wining filly She Will Reign and the Tony McEvoy-trained dual Group 1 winner Hey Doc.
Check out the full Newmarket Handicap 2018 first acceptances below before heading to Ladbrokes.com.au for updated odds on the classic.
2018 Newmarket Handicap First Acceptances
Flemington Racecourse – 10/03/2018
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | H. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12x2316x1 | BOOKER | F | 3 | Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra | 101 |
| 2 | 44x2123x53 | BRAVE SMASH (JPN) | H | 5 | Darren Weir | 108 |
| 3 | 16111250×6 | CANNYESCENT | G | 5 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 96 |
| 4 | 110x21330x | CATCHY | F | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 102 |
| 5 | 3231x7644x | CHAUTAUQUA | G | 7 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 115 |
| 6 | 81368x008x | DERRYN | H | 4 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 102 |
| 7 | 311900821x | FASTNET TEMPEST (IRE) | G | 5 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 98 |
| 8 | 98x4408x42 | FLAMBERGE | G | 8 | Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra | 110 |
| 9 | x21x78192x | FUHRYK | M | 4 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 103 |
| 10 | 1x2247x12x | GLENALL | H | 4 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 93 |
| 11 | 4423x654x5 | HELLBENT | H | 5 | Darren Weir | 105 |
| 12 | 196x1401x7 | HEY DOC | G | 4 | Tony McEvoy | – |
| 13 | 1x29x4 | I DID IT AGAIN | G | 3 | Greg Eurell | 70 |
| 14 | 21x4320x1 | KEMENTARI | C | 3 | James Cummings | 102 |
| 15 | 75537×5141 | KEN’S DREAM | G | 4 | Darren Weir | 95 |
| 16 | 415x66x165 | LORD OF THE SKY | H | 7 | Robbie Laing | 106 |
| 17 | 1351x30x32 | LUCKY LIBERTY | G | 6 | Henry Dwyer | 90 |
| 18 | 111x101x3 | MERCHANT NAVY | C | 3 | Aaron Purcell | 108 |
| 19 | x1449729x3 | MISSROCK | M | 4 | Robbie Laing | – |
| 20 | 24x21x28 | PREZADO | G | 3 | Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra | 78 |
| 21 | x105x100x1 | REDKIRK WARRIOR (GB) | G | 7 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | – |
| 22 | 4111x411x4 | RICH CHARM | G | 5 | Udyta Clarke | 103 |
| 23 | 11x43765x5 | ROCK MAGIC | G | 8 | Chris Gangemi | – |
| 24 | 14x164x10x | RUSSIAN REVOLUTION | H | 4 | Peter & Paul Snowden | 109 |
| 25 | 1x1x71192x | SAVANNA AMOUR | M | 4 | Chris Meagher | 102 |
| 26 | 1x121x10x1 | SHE WILL REIGN | F | 3 | Gary Portelli | 112 |
| 27 | 1460x4359x | SHEIDEL | M | 6 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 110 |
| 28 | 12121x11x2 | SNITTY KITTY | M | 4 | Henry Dwyer | 101 |
| 29 | x22833005x | SO SI BON | H | 4 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 95 |
| 30 | 3x930x15x4 | SUPIDO | H | 6 | Michael Kent | – |
| 31 | 212x22150x | THEANSWERMYFRIEND | G | 4 | Henry Dwyer | 96 |
| 32 | 1306x13x14 | THRONUM | H | 4 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 104 |
| 33 | 135x2450x4 | TULIP | F | 3 | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | 81 |
