Early favourite Chautauqua has been allocated the 58kg top weight for his next-up run in Saturday weekâs Newmarket Handicap 2016 down the Flemington straight.
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Chautauqua heads the 2016 Newmarket Handicap weights allocated 58kg for the Flemington feature on March 12. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Prepared by Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes the Encosta De Lago five-year-old celebrated his third elite level win last time out at Flemington Racecourse on February 20 saluting for the punters in the Black Caviar Lightning (1000m).
That was his first run since crossing second in the Group 1 Darley Classic (1200m) at the same track where he will return to on March 12 for âSuper Saturdayâ with a run in the $1.25 million Group 1 Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m).
On Tuesday Racing Victoria released Newmarket Handicap weights for the 23 official entries still in the mix including 58kg for Chautauqua to carry second-up at his pet track.
He has a gun record of two wins and three thirds from five previous second-up runs and from seven starts at Flemington to date the $3.88 million earner boasts four wins and three seconds.
Included in those placings at the course was his second to runaway winner Brazen Beau in last yearâs Newmarket Handicap where he carried 55.5kg, 2.5kg less than his weight for this year.
He is looking to become just the fourth Newmarket Handicap winner in the past 30 plus years to carry 58kg or more to victory joining Shaftesbury Avenue (58kg in 1991), the mighty Black Caviar (58kg in 2011) and Hay List (58.5kg in 2012).
Despite the big weight Chautauqua remains top of the all-in Newmarket Handicap odds at Ladbrokes.com.au paying $3.40 for the win.
He is followed closely in those futures Newmarket Handicap betting markets by Japonisme ($4) and Terravista ($4.80) who are allocated 52.5kg and 56.5kg respectively for the famous Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival sprint.
Chris Waller prepares gun three-year-old Japonisme, the Choisir gelding a Group 1 winner at Flemington in the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) against his own age in the Spring.
He ran third to Chautauqua first-up in a blanket finish in the Black Caviar Lightning defeated just a long neck when taking on older rivals.
It was a brilliant run that suggested improvement as he steps back up to 1200m and drops from 55.5kg to the advantageous light weight in the Newmarket.
Waller won the race last year with then three-year-old Brazen Beau (2015) who carried 52kg to victory and looks a big hope to repeat the feat with Japonisme this season.
Sydneyâs best trainer also has his Darley Classic winning Shamardal four-year-old Delectation (56kg) who ran fifth first-up in the Lightning and Redouteâs Choice colt Counterattack (50kg) â third to Japonisme in the Coolmore Stud Stakes last time in – nominated for the Newmarket Handicap.
Delectation pays $6.50 for the win and Counterattack $10.
Back to Terravista, Joe Prideâs second heaviest weighted Newmarket Handicap nominee is also second-up on Saturday after his devastatingly close Lighting Stakes second.
The Captain Rio six-year-old is a gun over the 1200m with five wins and three thirds from 10 runs and also flies second-up (6-3-0-1).
He was third in last yearâs Newmarket carrying 56.5kg and so remains on the same weight 12 months later with Pride searching for his first win in the race.
Along with Delectation the other runner on 56kg is the Peter Moody-trained Flamberge who surprised many last Saturday on Blue Diamond Stakes Day with a first-up win in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m).
The six-year-old son of Exceed And Excel carted the big 58kg weight to victory from a wide barrier 15 of 17 draw in impressive style as a 26/1 outsider in betting and pays $17 to go back-to-back with success in the Newmarket Handicap and complete the double last achieved by Lankan Rupee (2014) only two years ago.
See below for the full Newmarket Handicap 2016 weights then back your early selections at their generous odds through Ladbrokes.com.au â home of the $500 first time depositorsâ bonus with use of the code BETBONUS!
2016 Newmarket Handicap Weights
Flemington Racecourse â 12/03/2016
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Ballot | Weight | Hcp. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 213x1112x1 | CHAUTAUQUA | G | 5 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 1 | 58kg | 115 |
| 2 | x330x173x2 | TERRAVISTA | G | 6 | Joseph Pride | 2 | 56.5kg | 112 |
| 3 | 139x6241x5 | DELECTATION | G | 4 | Chris Waller | 3 | 56kg | 111 |
| 4 | 301x2617x1 | FLAMBERGE | G | 6 | Peter G Moody | 4 | 56kg | 111 |
| 5 | x1111431x3 | JAPONISME | G | 3 | Chris Waller | 5 | 52.5kg | 109 |
| 6 | 2x80x568x4 | TIGER TEES (NZ) | G | 8 | Joseph Pride | 6 | 54kg | 107 |
| 7 | 40x111492x | BLACK HEART BART | G | 5 | Darren Weir | 7 | 53.5kg | 106 |
| 8 | 15x5311x60 | ECLAIR CHOICE | G | 4 | Phillip Stokes | 8 | 53kg | 105 |
| 9 | 3x815x13x7 | DOTHRAKI | G | 5 | Peter & Paul Snowden | 9 | 53kg | 105 |
| 10 | 31111541×9 | CHARMED HARMONY | G | 6 | John Sadler | 10 | 53kg | 105 |
| 11 | 29x15450x0 | SCISSOR KICK | H | 4 | Paul Messara | 11 | 52kg | 103 |
| 12 | x211575432 | CHURCHILL DANCER | G | 5 | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | 12 | 52kg | 103 |
| 13 | 26x73082x8 | GREGERS | M | 5 | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | 13 | 52kg | 102 |
| 14 | 66x7621x36 | THE QUARTERBACK | G | 5 | Robbie Griffiths | 14 | 52kg | 98 |
| 15 | 0x112112x0 | KEEN ARRAY | G | 3 | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | 15 | 50kg | 96 |
| 16 | 38x13641x0 | VEZALAY | M | 4 | Leon & Troy Corstens | 16 | 52kg | 96 |
| 17 | 447x1513x3 | COUNTERATTACK | C | 3 | Chris Waller | 17 | 50kg | 91 |
| 18 | 21x16x | KINGLIKE | C | 3 | Peter G Moody | 18 | 50kg | 89 |
| 19 | 1x0x1221x2 | SECRET AGENDA | F | 3 | Mick Price | 19 | 50kg | 88 |
| 20 | 26x1x1x11 | SUPIDO | H | 4 | Michael Kent | 20 | 52kg | 84 |
| 21 | 140×15 | PURITAN | G | 3 | Jason Warren | 21 | 50kg | 82 |
| 22 | 15x163x3 | BASSETT (NZ) | G | 3 | Peter G Moody | 22 | 50kg | 75 |
| 23 | 0x11600x | KENTUCKY FLYER | C | 3 | Robbie Laing | 23 | 50kg | 69 |