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ATC Chairman’s Handicap

The ATC Chairman's Handicap is a staying event held during the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival at Royal Randwick on Day 1 of 'The Championships - Doncaster Mile Day.

2025 Chairman's Quality Results

  • 1st: #3 Alalcance
  • 2nd: #12 Birdman
  • 3rd: #10 Valiant King


ATC Chairman’s Handicap News


The ATC Chairman’s Handicap is a 2600m staying event held at Sydney’s Randwick Racecourse on the first Saturday in April as part of the opening day of ‘The Championships’.

2025 ATC Chairman’s Quality Results

  • 1st: #3 Alalcance ($2.70F)
  • 2nd: #12 Birdman
  • 3rd: #10 Valiant King

Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott’s classy mare, Alalcance ($2.70F), celebrated a hat-trick with an emphatic victory for the punters in the 2025 Chairman’s Quality results. Overcoming a slow start, jockey Tim Clark rated the bonny grey to perfection riding the last start NE Manion Cup champ positively with the mare responding to sustain a high cruising speed and eventually win by over two lengths. A quick back-up into the 2025 Sydney Cup over the two miles on April 12 now looks likely.

Atc Chairmans Handicap 2025 Odds & Results

Randwick R3
Schweppes Chairman's Qlty (G2)
Final Race time:  02:38 am, 5 Apr 2025
Runner DetailsWinPlace
1st
3. Alalcance (4) J: Tim Clark 56.5kg
T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
2nd
12. Birdman (6) J: Jamie Melham 53kg
T: Chris Waller
3rd
10. Valiant King (5) J: Zac Lloyd 53kg
T: Chris Waller
4th
16. Age Of Sail (1) J: Dylan Gibbons 53kg
T: Kris Lees
5th
14. Hopeful (11) J: Ashley Morgan 53kg
T: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald
6th
11. Strathtay (10) J: Jay Ford 53kg
T: Chris Waller
7th
4. Lastotchka (8) J: Tyler Schiller 54kg
T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr
8th
7. Waltham (2) J: Blake Shinn 54kg
T: Matthew Smith
9th
2. Athabascan (12) J: Tommy Berry 57.5kg
T: John O'Shea & Tom Charlton
10th
13. Manzoice (7) J: Michael Dee 53kg
T: Chris Waller
11th
5. Francesco Guardi (3) J: Damian Lane 54kg
T: Chris Waller
12th
6. True Marvel (13) J: Kerrin McEvoy 54kg
T: Matthew Smith
13th
17. Bacio Del Mist (18) J: Molly Bourke 53kg
T: Lee & Cherie Curtis
14th
15. Mr Waterville (16) J: Reece Jones 53kg
T: Chris Waller
15th
9. Kinesiology (20) J: Andrea Atzeni 53kg
T: Chris Waller
16th
1. Desert Hero (14) J: Ryan Moore 59kg
T: William Haggas
17th
19. Laspirit Deeler (17) J: Alysha Collett 53kg
T: Lee & Cherie Curtis
18th
18. Fulfilled (9) J: Andrew Gibbons 53kg
T: Kris Lees
19th
20. Positivity (15) J: Winona Costin 53kg
T: Andrew Forsman
20th
8. El Jasor (19) J: Craig Williams 53.5kg
T: Kris Lees
Odds are subject to fluctuation. For current odds on all of our live racing markets, please visit www.ladbrokes.com.au/racing.
Data retrieved: 07/04/2025 12:11:59 PM (Australia/Brisbane)

Doncaster Mile Day features four Group 1 status races led by the Group 1 $4 million Doncaster Mile (1600m) as well as a number of Group 2 and 3 status races including the Chairman’s Handicap, also known as the Chairman’s Quality.

Worth $300,000 in prize money, the Group 2 quality handicap has a minimum weight of 52kg and a high weight of 61kg. It is a lead-up race to the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) and the winner of the Chairman’s Handicap is exempt from ballot and penalty for the Sydney Cup.

The Sydney Cup is run one week later at the same Royal Randwick track.

The Offer (2014) and Circle Of Fire (2024) are the latest horses to complete the Chairman’s Handicap – Sydney Cup double which has been done nine times.

In 2016 the Chairman’s Handicap winner Libran went on to run second next-up in the Sydney Cup, while in 2017 Big Duke won the Chairman’s before a third in the Sydney Cup. More recently, the 2019 Sydney Cup winner Shraaoh improved on a lead-up Chairman’s Quality second before taking out the two mile classic. The following year, the 2020 Chairman’s winner Raheen House backed-up and finished a brave third in the Sydney Cup trifecta.

The 2021 Chairman’s Quality form was franked with the runner-up Rondinella going on to finish second in that year’s Sydney Cup quinella.

In 2022 Knights Order improved on a lead-up second in the Chairman’s Quality to win the Sydney Cup next start for the Waterhouse/Bott stable. He further franked the form that spring returning to run third in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) in Melbourne.

The Chairman’s Quality 2025 ran on Saturday April 5, 2025 at Royal Randwick as a last-minute Sydney Cup lead-up and was won by an emphatic 2.64 lengths by the race favourite Alalcance ($2.70F) from the Waterhouse/Bott yard. 

2025 ATC Chairman’s Handicap
Date: Saturday April 5, 2025
Track: Randwick Racecourse, Sydney
Distance: 2600m
Race Type: Quality Handicap
Status: Group 2
Prizemoney: $300,000

2025 ATC Chairman’s Quality Finishing Order

Finish No. Horse Trainer Jockey Margin Bar. Weight Penalty Starting Price
1 3 ALALCANCE (GB) Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Tim Clark 4 56.5kg $2.70F
2 12 BIRDMAN (IRE) Chris Waller Ms Jamie Melham 2.64L 6 53kg $10
3 10 VALIANT KING (GB) Chris Waller Zac Lloyd 3.6L 5 53kg $8.50
4 16 AGE OF SAIL (GB) Kris Lees Dylan Gibbons 4.91L 1 53kg $101
5 14 HOPEFUL (FR) Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald Ashley Morgan 5.02L 11 53kg $61
6 11 STRATHTAY (NZ) Chris Waller Jay Ford 5.46L 10 53kg $19
7 4 LASTOTCHKA (FR) Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) Tyler Schiller 5.57L 8 54kg $81
8 7 WALTHAM (GB) Matthew Smith Blake Shinn 5.93L 2 54kg (cd 55kg) $8
9 2 ATHABASCAN (FR) John O’Shea & Tom Charlton Tommy Berry 7.85L 12 57.5kg $9.50
10 13 MANZOICE Chris Waller Michael Dee 7.91L 7 53kg $26
11 5 FRANCESCO GUARDI (IRE) Chris Waller Damian Lane 8.51L 3 54kg $51
12 6 TRUE MARVEL (FR) Matthew Smith Kerrin McEvoy 9.05L 13 54kg $201
13 17 BACIO DEL MIST (NZ) Lee & Cherie Curtis Ms Molly Bourke (a) 9.3L 18 53kg $81
14 15 MR WATERVILLE (IRE) Chris Waller Reece Jones 10.67L 16 53kg $81
15 9 KINESIOLOGY (GB) Chris Waller Andrea Atzeni 12.42L 20 53kg $51
16 1 DESERT HERO (GB) William Haggas Ryan Moore 13.63L 14 59kg $8.50
17 19 LASPIRIT DEELER Lee & Cherie Curtis Ms Alysha Collett 13.83L 17 53kg $201
18 18 FULFILLED (GB) Kris Lees Andrew Gibbons 14.38L 9 53kg $201
19 20 POSITIVITY (NZ) Andrew Forsman Ms Winona Costin 17.68L 15 53kg $61
20 8 EL JASOR (IRE) Kris Lees Craig Williams 21.79L 19 53.5kg $31

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2025 ATC Chairman’s Handicap Betting

The season’s latest ATC Chairman’s Handicap 2025 betting odds online provided by Ladbrokes.com.au will be available here at Races.com.au complete with market links.

There was a notable upset in 2022 with Nerve Not Verve winning the event at Chairman’s Quality odds of $26. Nerve Not Verve returned to run a close third in the 2023 Chairman’s Quality results that were led by the Chris Waller-trained outsider Surefire at $17.

Circle Of Fire ($3.60 in 2024) and Alalcance ($2.70 in 2025) are the latest favourites in Chairman’s Quality betting to win.

2025 ATC Chairman’s Handicap Form

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2025 CHAIRMAN’S QUALITY FORM GUIDE

2025 ATC Chairman’s Handicap Tips

Stay tuned for our insider Chairman’s Quality 2025 Tips on the Randwick staying showdown this April.

  • To Win: #3 Alalcance ($2.60 at time of publish) – BET NOW

More than happy to stick with the airborne Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott trained favourite in Saturday’s Chairman’s with 3. ALALCANE chasing a hat-trick. This bonny grey daughter of Mastercraftsman was last seen winning Rosehill’s Group 3 NE Manion Cup on March 22 by a blowout margin of over fourth lengths. She carted 55.5kg to the easy win over the mile and a half that day on the back of a win fresh over 2000m at Randwick and will only improve off it. She will have zero issues over the 2600m and the 3200m should she continue onto the Syndey Cup. Tim Clark retains the ride from a good gate four draw, and she only goes up a kilo so is still right in this weight-wise. Stays all day, handles all conditions and is proven on Heavy going if things don’t clear up. Huge hope.

2025 ATC Chairman’s Handicap Field

The Chairman’s Handicap field attracts a smart line-up of Sydney Cup-bound stayers, and many horses come via an earlier Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival run in a traditional lead-up race like Rosehill’s Group 3 NE Manion Cup (2400m) held a fortnight before.

The official 2025 Chairman’s Quality Field is set for release on the Wednesday of race week and will be published in full below.

The Chairman’s Quality 2025 final field features a strong line-up of autumn stayers led in betting by NE Manion Cup winning mare Alalcance chasing her third straight win this prep.

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Probable Weight Penalty Hcp Rating
1 x8113x258x DESERT HERO (GB) William Haggas Ryan Moore 14 59kg 107
2 2x8001x782 ATHABASCAN (FR) John O’Shea & Tom Charlton Tommy Berry 12 57.5kg 104
3 2x1x122x11 ALALCANCE (GB) Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Tim Clark 4 56.5kg 106
4 3x41x0x006 LASTOTCHKA (FR) Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) Chad Schofield 8 54kg 101
5 x07976x000 FRANCESCO GUARDI (IRE) Chris Waller Damian Lane 3 54kg 96
6 3x80808x80 TRUE MARVEL (FR) Matthew Smith Kerrin McEvoy 13 54kg 89
7 5x8x943x01 WALTHAM (GB) Matthew Smith Blake Shinn 2 54kg 89
8 165x78x121 EL JASOR (IRE) Kris Lees Craig Williams 19 53.5kg 80
9 122225×635 KINESIOLOGY (GB) Chris Waller Andrea Atzeni 20 53kg 94
10 6x0090x069 VALIANT KING (GB) Chris Waller Zac Lloyd 5 53kg 93
11 451336×063 STRATHTAY (NZ) Chris Waller Jay Ford 10 53kg 92
12 13x6x0x425 BIRDMAN (IRE) Chris Waller Ms Jamie Melham 6 53kg 89
13 23070×8858 MANZOICE Chris Waller Michael Dee 7 53kg 89
14 0622×00663 HOPEFUL (FR) Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald Ashley Morgan 11 53kg 88
15 086x67x707 MR WATERVILLE (IRE) Chris Waller Reece Jones 16 53kg 86
16 33267×6515 AGE OF SAIL (GB) Kris Lees Dylan Gibbons 1 53kg 82
17 413×469215 BACIO DEL MIST (NZ) Lee & Cherie Curtis Ms Molly Bourke (a) 18 53kg 76
18 08×5839235 FULFILLED (GB) Kris Lees Andrew Gibbons 9 53kg 73
19 1554×51310 LASPIRIT DEELER Lee & Cherie Curtis Ms Alysha Collett 17 53kg 72
20 x21780x680 POSITIVITY (NZ) Andrew Forsman Ms Winona Costin 15 53kg 99

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2025 ATC Chairman’s Handicap Nominations

The ATC Chairman’s Handicap nominations 2025 will be published below as soon as released by Racing NSW on the Monday of race week.

Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Hcp Rating
1 33267×6515 AGE OF SAIL (GB) G 6 Kris Lees 82
2 2x1x122x11 ALALCANCE (GB) M 5 Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott 106
3 x37914x765 ASTERIX (NZ) G 6 Chris Waller 103
4 2x8001x782 ATHABASCAN (FR) G 6 John O’Shea & Tom Charlton 104
5 413×469215 BACIO DEL MIST (NZ) M 7 Lee & Cherie Curtis 76
6 13x6x0x425 BIRDMAN (IRE) G 4 Chris Waller 89
7 21x00x80x4 CLEVELAND (IRE) G 7 Kris Lees 101
8 x8113x258x DESERT HERO (GB) G 5 William Haggas 107
9 0138300×78 DOUBLE CHERRY (IRE) G 6 Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald 80
10 165x78x121 EL JASOR (IRE) G 5 Kris Lees 80
11 x07976x000 FRANCESCO GUARDI (IRE) G 7 Chris Waller 96
12 08×5839235 FULFILLED (GB) G 6 Kris Lees 73
13 0684321253 GRAND PIERRO G 5 Jason Warren 96
14 0622×00663 HOPEFUL (FR) G 8 Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald 88
15 122225×635 KINESIOLOGY (GB) H 4 Chris Waller 94
16 1554×51310 LASPIRIT DEELER M 4 Lee & Cherie Curtis 72
17 3x41x0x006 LASTOTCHKA (FR) M 6 Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) 101
18 23070×8858 MANZOICE G 5 Chris Waller 89
19 086x67x707 MR WATERVILLE (IRE) G 6 Chris Waller 86
20 x21780x680 POSITIVITY (NZ) M 4 Andrew Forsman 99
21 451336×063 STRATHTAY (NZ) G 5 Chris Waller 92
22 3x80808x80 TRUE MARVEL (FR) G 9 Matthew Smith 89
23 6x0090x069 VALIANT KING (GB) G 5 Chris Waller 93
24 5x8x943x01 WALTHAM (GB) G 5 Matthew Smith 89
25 241x920x93 ZECHARIAH (IRE) G 6 Chris Waller 101

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

ATC Chairman’s Handicap History

The Chairman’s Handicap first recorded win was in 1979 by Lady Dignitas. Since then, No Wine No Song has been the only horse to win the event in two consecutive years in 2007 and 2008. Steel Phoenix has also won the event twice in 1999 and 2001, as did Tremec (2013 & 2015).

The race started in 1979 as a Group 3 race and reached its current Group 2 status for the first time in 2002 when Henderson Bay won. It was run over 2600m from 1979 – 1999, but from 2000 – 2003 ran over a shorter distance of 2400m. It has been back up to 2600m since 2004.

Alalcance (2025) was the last mare to win the Chairman’s Handicap.

See below for the full list of ATC / AJC Chairman’s Handicap results going back to 2000.

Past Chairman’s Handicap Winners

Year

Place

Horse

Time

2025
Chairman’s Handicap
1st Alalcance 2 minutes 43.98 seconds
2nd Birdman
3rd Valiant King
2024
Chairman’s Handicap
1st Circle Of Fire 2 minutes 46.12 seconds
2nd Hopeful
3rd Double Cherry
2023
Chairman’s Handicap
1st Surefire 2 minutes 52.45 seconds
2nd Gin Martini
3rd Nerve Not Verve
2022
Chairman’s Handicap
1st Nerve Not Verve 2 minutes 51.96 seconds
2nd Knights Order
3rd Luncies
2021
Chairman’s Handicap
1st Quick Thinker 2 minutes 45.45 seconds
2nd Rondinella
3rd Paths Of Glory
2020
Chairman’s Handicap
1st Raheen House 2 minutes 47.85 seconds
2nd Carif
3rd Mirage Dancer
2019
Chairman’s Handicap
1st Gallic Chieftain 2 minutes 47.95 seconds
2nd Shraaoh
3rd Semari
2018
Chairman’s Handicap
1st Sir Charles Road 2 minutes 41.57 seconds
2nd Ventura Storm
3rd Peribsen
2017
Chairman’s Handicap
1st Big Duke 2 minutes 52.49 seconds
2nd Aloft
3rd Rock On
2016
Chairman’s Handicap
1st Libran 2 minutes 48.13 seconds
2nd Alegria
3rd Café Society
2015
Chairman’s Handicap
1st Tremec 2 minutes 49.40 seconds
2nd Sir John Hawkwood
3rd Grand Marshal
2014
Chairman’s Handicap
1st The Offer 2 minutes 51.63 seconds
2nd Tremec
3rd Hippopus
2013
Chairman’s Handicap
1st Tremec 2 minutes 44.4 seconds
2nd Blood Brotha
3rd Aliyana Tilde
2012
Chairman’s Handicap
1st Permit 2 minutes 41.9 seconds
2nd Older Than Time
3rd Nextanix
2011
Chairman’s Handicap
1st Once Were Wild 2 minutes 43.4 seconds
2nd Anudjawun
3rd C’est Le Guerre
2010
Chairman’s Handicap
1st Jessicabeel 2 minutes 44.6 seconds
2nd No Wine No Song
3rd Harris Tweed
2009
Chairman’s Handicap
1st
Divine Rebel
2 minutes 45.91 seconds
2nd Ice Chariot
3rd Common Objective
2008
Chairman’s Handicap
1st No Wine No Song 2 minutes 49.84 seconds
2nd Sky Biscuit
3rd Resolution
2007
Chairman’s Handicap
1st No Wine No Song 2 minutes 48.19 seconds
2nd Prince Arthur
3rd Magic Instinct
2006
Chairman’s Handicap
1st Fooram 2 minutes 45.06 seconds
2nd Three Chimneys
3rd Cross Bar
2005
Chairman’s Handicap
1st Philosophe 2 minutes 51.13 seconds
2nd Padfoot Charlie
3rd County Tyrone
2004
Chairman’s Handicap
1st Mummify 2 minutes 47.77 seconds
2nd County Tyrone
3rd Saturday Fever
2003
Chairman’s Handicap
1st Grey Song 2 minutes 32.44 seconds
2nd Honor Babe
3rd County Tyrone
2002
Chairman’s Handicap
1st Henderson Bay 2 minutes 29.79 seconds
2nd Homewrecker
3rd Asia
2001
Chairman’s Handicap
1st Steel Phoenix 2 minutes 32.06 seconds
2nd Giovana
3rd Wellington
2000
Chairman’s Handicap
1st Pravda 2 minutes 31.25 seconds
2nd Consolidator
3rd Regal Touch

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