The richest race on the Royal Randwick card in Sydney this Saturday to kick off October Group 1 racing is the 2016 Epsom Handicap, a full form guide analysis and betting preview on the mile classic found below.
McCreery is considered trainer Chris Waller’s best chance of securing a fourth straight success in the Epsom Handicap 2016 on Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.
Due to jump at 4:00pm (AEST) as Randwick Race 7, a field of 13 gallopers is engaged to face off in this year’s $1 million Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m).
Five of those currently pay under $10 for the win in the Epsom Handicap odds at Ladbrokes.com.au including the narrow $5 favourite Hauraki for John O’Shea.
He finished a brave second to Australia’s best horse Winx over the track / distance a fortnight back in the Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m) and drops from 59kg that run to 56kg on Saturday.
Without Winx in the mix, the Godolphin-raced Reset gelding is tipped as the horse to beat in the Epsom Handicap third-up after he also won the Group 2 Tramway Stakes (1400m) at the track in the wet first-up.
In an open market the next best fancied in Epsom Handicap betting this Sydney Spring Racing Carnival are early mover McCreery ($5.50) on just 51.5kg with Kerrin McEvoy riding, the 57kg top weight Palentino coming off the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) win in Melbourne and the in-form but less experienced Fabrizio ($7).
That’s the story told by the bookies but what about the Epsom Handicap form guide, betting history and statistics?
2016 Epsom Handicap Form Facts & Betting Stats
- Last year’s Epsom Handicap winner was the Chris Waller-trained Winx (2015) who came off a Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes win, jumped from barrier 12 (of 14) and saluted as the $2 favourite with Hugh Bowman aboard on 57kg
- Chris Waller has won the past three editions of the Epsom Handicap and chases a fourth this year with #8 Mackintosh ($12), #9 McCreery ($5.50), #11 Vanbrugh ($20) and #12 Torgersen ($26)
- Along with Chris Waller (18-3-2-1) the other previous Epsom Handicap winning trainers with a runner this weekend are: Gai Waterhouse (49-7-7-4) who chases a record eighth win with #13 Fabrizio ($7) who she trains in partnership with Adrian Bott; and John O’Shea (7-1-0-0) with #2 Hauraki ($5)
- Last year’s winning jockey Hugh Bowman is back chasing successive victories on #3 Le Romain ($12)
- Along with Hugh Bowman (8-1-2-0) the other previous Epsom Handicap winning jockeys with a ride on Saturday are: Glen Boss (13-3-2-0) on #7 Sons Of John ($17); Brenton Avdulla (4-1-0-0) on #4 Happy Clapper ($9.50); Tommy Berry (5-1-0-1) on #8 Mackintosh; and Corey Brown (15-1-2-1) on #10 Heavens Above ($17)
- Horse Racing Tip Jockey Glen Boss is after a record fourth winning Epsom Handicap ride in 2016 on Sons Of John
- Winx was just the second mare in over 30 years to win the Epsom Handicap along with Secret Admirer (2011); the only mare in the mix this year is #10 Heavens Above
- The past three Epsom Handicap winners all came off a last start victory; the last start winners lining-up on Saturday are: #1 Palentino (Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes, 1600m, Flemington, 10/09/2016); #7 Sons Of John (Group 3 Bill Ritchie Handicap, 1400m, Randwick, 17/09/2016); #8 Mackintosh (Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes, 1300m, Rosehill, 10/09/2016); #9 McCreery (Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes, 2000m, Rosehill, 10/09/2016) and #13 Fabrizio (BM85, 1600m, Randwick, 17/09/2016)
- #8 Mackintosh chases the Theo Marks Stakes – Epsom Handicap double achieved by stablemate Winx (2015) 12 months ago
- History is against #1 Palentino ($6) as no Epsom Handicap winner in over 30 years has come off a Melbourne lead-up run
- Last year’s winning barrier (12) has produced three winners (since 1983) and is drawn by #5 Mighty Lucky ($41) this weekend
- The most successful Epsom Handicap barriers in that time producing four winners each are 7 and 8 drawn on Saturday by #11 Vanbrugh (7) and #10 Heavens Above (8)
- Favourites have won three times in the past 10 years; this year’s Epsom Handicap favourite is #2 Hauraki
- Four-year-olds have the standout record in the race with 15 wins in the past 20 years and six in the past seven years; the 4YOs in the race this year are: #1 Palentino, #3 Le Romain, #8 Mackintosh, #11 Vanbrugh and #13 Torgersen
- The highest Win Rate of the field belongs to #8 Mackintosh (67%) followed by #13 Fabrizio (63%), #9 McCreery (45%) and #1 Palentino (40%)
- The best Place Race of the field belongs to #3 Le Romain (91%) followed by #9 McCreery (82%), #10 Heavens Above (76%) and #13 Fabrizio (75%)
- The horses with the best winning record over the distance (1600m) are: #9 McCreery (5-3-2-0), #1 Palentino (2-2-0-0), #13 Fabrizio, #4 Happy Clapper (4-2-1-1), #7 Sons Of John (10-2-0-1), #10 Heavens Above (4-1-1-2), #11 Vanbrugh (4-1-1-0), #5 Mighty Lucky (7-1-2-1) and #3 Le Romain (1-1-0-0)
- The horses with the best winning record at the track (Randwick) are: #7 Sons Of John (6-3-0-1), #4 Happy Clapper (9-3-1-1), #2 Hauraki (10-2-3-2), #3 Le Romain (5-2-3-0), #10 Heavens Above (5-2-1-1), #5 Mighty Lucky (5-2-0-0) and #11 Vanbrugh (6-2-0-0)
Stay tuned for our exclusive Epsom Handicap 2016 betting tips to be published shortly.
In the meantime check out the full Epsom Form Guide below provided by Ladbrokes.com.au.
