2016 Newmarket Handicap Form Guide & Preview

The first of two Group 1 races on ‘Super Saturday’ at Flemington Racecourse this weekend in Melbourne is the Newmarket Handicap 2016, a detailed form guide analysis and betting preview from the Races.com.au team for which is found below.

Flemington sprint specialist Chautauqua looks hard to beat form-wise in Saturday’s 2016 Newmarket Handicap. Photo: Steve Hart.

Due to jump at 3:50pm (AEDT) as Flemington Race 6, this year’s $1.25 million Group 1 Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m) field features 11 sprinters.

Red hot favourite for the win in the latest Newmarket Handicap odds at Ladbrokes.com.au is last year’s runner-up, Flemington specialist Chautauqua ($2.50) who has the outside alley to overcome.

History shows that three of the past four Newmarket Handicap winners jumped for a double digit barrier however so the gate should be a non-issue for Team Hawkes’ last start Black Caviar Lightning winner.

Also at single figures in Newmarket Handicap betting this Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival are the Black Caviar Lightning third-placed Japonisme ($3.70) for last year’s winning trainer Chris Waller and stablemate Delectation ($9.50) who won the Darley Classic at the track and distance in the spring.

That’s the story the bookies are saying but below we’ve done the hard work for you going over the entire Newmarket Handicap form guide to come up with the must know facts and stats before you lock in selections on the classic.

2016 Newmarket Handicap Form Facts & Betting Stats

• Last year’s Newmarket Handicap winner was the three-year-old Chris Waller-trained Brazen Beau (2015) who carried 52kg to victory from barrier five (of nine) with Joao Moreira aboard following a second in the Lightning Stakes
• This year Chris Waller shoots for back-to-back wins with three hopes in #2 Delectation ($9.50), early market mover #6 Japonisme ($3.70) and #10 Counterattack ($10)
• Two of those are three-year-olds looking to become the third of that age in four years to win – Japonisme and Counterattack
• Three-year-olds have won four of the past 10 editions of the race and along with Waller’s to the other youngsters in the mix this year are Mick Price’s filly #11 Secret Agenda ($14) and #9 Keen Array ($15)
• The last filly to win the race was Alinghi (2005)
• Along with Waller (5-1-0-0) the other previous Newmarket Handicap winning trainers with a runner this year are: David Hayes (19-1-1-1) who saddles-up #7 Churchill Dancer and #9 Keen Array in partnership with Tom Dabernig, and Mick Price (6-1-0-0) with #11 Secret Agenda
• The previous Newmarket Handicap winning jockeys with a ride on Saturday are: Damien Oliver (20-3-3-1) shooting for a fourth aboard #2 Delectation and Craig Newitt (11-2-1-2) on #8 The Quarterback

• Last year’s winning barrier (5) has produced two winners (since 1983) and belongs this year to #11 Secret Agenda
• The most successful Newmarket Handicap barrier in that time with five winners is barrier seven that the roughie of the field #3 Tiger Tees ($101) has this weekend
• Three of the past four winners jumped from a double digit barrier and in this year’s field the only two with wide gates are #1 Chautauqua (11) and #2 Delectation (10)
• The Lightning Stakes has produced four of the past five Newmarket Handicap champions including Brazen Beau (2^nd) last year
• This year the Lightning Stakes graduates backing up are: Chautauqua (1^st), Japonisme (3^rd) and Delectation (5^th)
• #1 Chautauqua ($2.50) is looking to become the first Lightning Stakes – Newmarket Handicap winner in a single season since Black Caviar (2011)

• Chautauqua is also the 58kg top weight out to join Black Caviar (58kg in 2011) and Hay List (58.5kg in 2012) as the only winners to carry more than 57kg to victory since Shaftesbury Avenue (58kg in 1991)
• Favourites have won four of the past 10 races with Hay List (2012) the latest and #1 Chautauqua out to be the next this year
• The highest Win Rate of the field belongs to #1 Chautauqua (53%) followed by #6 Japonisme (45%), #9 Keen Array (44%), Secret Agenda (43%) and 5 Charmed Harmony (51%)
• The best Place Rate also belongs to #1 Chautauqua (89%) followed by #11 Secret Agenda (86%) and #6 Japonisme (82%)
• The horses with the best record over the distance (1200m) are: #1 Chautauqua (12-5-6-0), #7 Churchill Dancer (22-5-5-4), #2 Delectation (13-4-4-2), #3 Tiger Tees (16-4-0-1), #4 Black Heart Bart (5-3-1-0), #5 Charmed Harmony (7-3-0-0), #6 Japonisme (6-2-0-2), #8 The Quarterback (6-2-1-2), #9 Keen Array (3-2-1-0) and #10 Counterattack (6-2-0-2)
• Those with the best Flemington track record are: #1 Chautauqua (7-4-3-0), #7 Churchill Dancer (15-4-1-3), #8 The Quarterback (10-3-0-4) and #5 Charmed Harmony (5-2-0-0)
• Previous winners over the Track / Distance are: #7 Churchill Dancer (10-4-0-1), #1 Chautauqua (6-3-3-0), #2 Delectation (5-1-2-0), #3 Tiger Tees (4-1-0-1) and #6 Japonisme (1-1-0-0)

Stay tuned for our insider Newmarket Handicap 2016 betting tips to be published shortly.

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2016 Newmarket Handicap Form Guide