Epsom Handicap

Epsom Handicap

Group One Betting Guide
Date: Saturday, September 28, 2024
Location: Randwick Racecourse – Sydney, New South Wales
Prize Money: $1,500,000
Distance: 1600m

THE Epsom Handicap is a handicapped group one race held at Royal Randwick in Sydney for horses aged three years and older.

Steeped in over 150 years of tradition, the Epsom Handicap is considered one of Australia’s great mile handicaps.

The history of the race is unique and unprecedented in thoroughbred racing.

The Epsom Handicap is one of only a handful of Group 1 races in the world that has had multiple dead-heat finishes in its history, in 1873, 1925 & 2022.

Alongside this, the 2007 edition of the race drew worldwide headlines after it was cancelled following fears surrounding the equine influenza.

The Epsom Handicap has a total prize pool of $1 million and draws punters in given it pits up and coming mile horses against some of the more seasoned milers in the country.

The race has been dominated in the modern era by Gai Waterhouse, who has won the Epsom Handicap seven times in the time period between 1997 and 2012.


2024 Epsom Handicap Odds

Odds for the 2024 Epsom Handicap are currently unavailable.


Best Epsom Handicap bookmakers

The Epsom Handicap is one of the key fixtures on the Australian thoroughbred racing calendar and is treated like gold by the online bookmakers.

Any bookie worth their salt will open a Epsom Handicap months in advance of the jump date, and will give the race plenty of coverage through their online channels.

The bookmakers we trust the most are listed below and we recommend anyone interested in betting on the Epsom Handicap to hit up any one of these sites:

United States Sport Table

Sport Table


Latest Epsom Handicap News

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The Group 1 Espom Handicap (1600m) headlines the ten-race program at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Check out HorseBetting's free race-by-race ...
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Betting on the Epsom Handicap

Winx
The superstar mare Winx finds herself on the Epsom Handicap honour roll after her win in 2015.

When it comes to the Epsom Handicap, there are three races that punters will need to follow closely if history is any judge of who will win: Ritchie Handicap, Shannon Stakes and the George Main Stakes.

Invariably the winner or place-getter in these three races produces the Epsom Handicap winner.

In the period between 2006 and 2016 – taking into consideration that 2007 was called off due to the equine influenza scare – these three races had produced six of 10 winners, while the 2016 winner Hauraki finished second in the George Main Stakes two weeks prior to its Epsom win.

Weight handicaps are also extremely important in the race.

Only two horses – Top Ranked (56.5kg) & Ellsberg (56kg) in 2022, Hauraki (56kg) in 2016 and Winx (57kg) in 2015 – have carried more than 54kg to victory since 2006.

Unlike other big name races in the country, double-figure barriers have not been a problem in the Epsom Handicap.

Secret Admirer (16 in 2011), Boban (10 in 2013), He’s Your Man (10 in 2014), Kolding (12 in 2019) and Probabeel (15 in 2020) all overcame wider alleys to take out the race.


2024 Epsom Handicap Final Field

HorseBetting will update this page when the 2024 Epsom Handicap Final Field is released.


Previous Epsom Handicap Fields

Plenty of Group 1 superstars have won the Epsom Handicap. Check the previous fields of the Epsom here.

  • No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight
    1 Silks My Oberon Annabel Neasham Chad Schofield 18 56kg
    2 Silks Pericles James Cummings Nash Rawiller 14 56kg
    3 Silks The Inevitable John Keys David Pires 8 55.5kg
    4 Silks Going Global Chris Waller James McDonald 12 55kg
    5 Silks Converge Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Tim Clark 9 55kg
    6 Silks Golden Mile James Cummings Blake Shinn 21 55kg
    7 Silks Kirwan’s Lane John O’Shea Tom Sherry 11 54.5kg
    8 Silks Hope In Your Heart Kerry Parker Craig Williams 10 54kg
    9 Silks Diamil John O’Shea Jason Collett 5 54kg
    10 Silks Kovalica Chris Waller Joao Moreira 7 54kg
    11 Silks Nugget Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Damien Oliver 19 54kg
    12 Silks Pounding Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman Jamie Kah 13 54kg
    13 Silks Communist Michael Freedman Dylan Gibbons 6 53.5kg
    14 Silks Duke De Sessa Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Regan Bayliss 15 53.5kg
    15 Silks Madame Pommery Chris Waller Kerrin McEvoy 16 51.5kg
    16 Silks Democracy Manifest Chris Waller Tyler Schiller 1 51.5kg
    17 Silks Rediener Chris Waller Kathy O’Hara 2 50kg
    18 Silks Barbie’s Fox Ben, Will & JD Hayes Dean Yendall 4 50kg
    19 Silks Waterford Chris Waller Zac Lloyd 20 50kg
    20 Silks Olentia Chris Waller Jay Ford 17 50kg
    21 Silks Williamsburg (1E) Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou Andrew Adkins 3 50kg
    22 Silks Political Debate (2E) Chris Waller Rachel King 22 50kg
  • No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight
    1
    Top Ranked
    Annabel Neasham
    Hugh Bowman
    4
    56.5kg
    2
    Converge
    Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
    Tim Clark
    1
    56.5kg
    3
    Ellsberg
    Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou
    Brenton Avdulla
    3
    56kg
    4
    Nimalee
    Matthew Smith
    Regan Bayliss
    10
    55.5kg
    5
    Icebath
    Brad Widdup
    James McDonald
    7
    54.5kg
    6
    Fangirl
    Chris Waller
    Tommy Berry
    5
    54kg
    7
    Kiku
    Chris Waller
    Jason Collett
    12
    54kg
    8
    Hinged
    Chris Waller
    Kerrin McEvoy
    9
    51.5kg
    9
    Cross Talk
    Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
    Rachel King
    6
    51kg
    10
    Character
    James Cummings
    Reece Jones
    11
    51kg
    11
    Pippali
    Jason Coyle
    Kathy O’Hara
    8
    51kg
    12
    War Eternal
    Bjorn Baker
    Jay Ford
    2
    51kg
  • No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight
    1 Mo’unga Annabel Neasham Tommy Berry 13 57kg
    2 Cascadian James Cummings Hugh Bowman 12 56.5kg
    3 Dalasan Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas James McDonald 8 55kg
    4 Star Of The Seas Chris Waller Sam Clipperton 1 54kg
    5 Lion’s Roar John O’Shea Jean Van Overmeire 3 52.5kg
    6 Hungry Heart Chris Waller Kerrin McEvoy 10 52kg
    7 Icebath Brad Widdup Robbie Dolan 14 52kg
    8 Rock Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes Brock Ryan 9 52kg
    9 Riodini Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Rachel King 15 51.5kg
    10 Aramayo Chris Waller Alysha Collett 5 51.5kg
    11 Reloaded Chris Waller Glen Boss 6 51kg
    12 Private Eye Joseph Pride Regan Bayliss 7 51kg
    13 Atishu Chris Waller Kathy O’Hara 11 50.5kg
    14 Discharged Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott James Innes Jnr 2 50.5kg
    15 Ashman Kim Waugh Jeff Penza 17 50.5kg
    16 Harmony Rose Mark Newnham Andrew Adkins 16 50.5kg
    17 Sky Lab Paul Perry Tim Clark 4 50.5kg
  • No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight
    1 Kolding Chris Waller Hugh Bowman 20 56.5kg
    2 Mister Sea Wolf Chris Waller Brenton Avdulla 4 56kg
    3 Star Of The Seas Chris Waller Nash Rawiller 1 55.5kg
    4 Imaging Chris Waller James McDonald 21 55.5kg
    5 Nettoyer Wendy Roche James Innes Jnr 14 54kg
    6 Brandenburg John Sargent Jason Collett 3 54kg
    7 Yulong Prince Chris Waller Sam Clipperton 2 54kg
    8 The Candy Man Peter & Paul Snowden Regan Bayliss 9 53.5kg
    9 Wild Planet Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes Tim Clark 6 53kg
    10 Niccanova Craig Carmody Blaike McDougall 11 53kg
    11 Probabeel Jamie Richards Kerrin McEvoy 18 52.5kg
    12 Funstar Chris Waller Glen Boss 19 52.5kg
    13 Rock Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes Tommy Berry 13 52.5kg
    14 Colette James Cummings Rachel King 10 52kg
    15 Reloaded Chris Waller Kathy O’Hara 7 51kg
    16 Looks Like Elvis Jarrod Austin Jess Taylor 8 50kg
    17 Riodini Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Winona Costin 12 50kg
    18 Savacool Chris Waller Alysha Collett 16 50kg
    19 Glenall Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes Brock Ryan 5 50kg
    20 Vanna Girl Toby & Trent Edmonds Robbie Dolan 15 50kg
    21 Just Thinkin’ Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott N/A 17 50kg

2023 Epsom Handicap result


1stRediener (+850)
2ndKovalica (+230)
3rdGolden Mile (+400)

Recent Epsom Handicap runnings

  • Chris Waller has trained his fifth Epsom Handicap winner, with Rediener ($10.00) getting the better of stablemate Kovalica ($10.00) in another close photo finish in the second of three Group 1 contests at Randwick. After drawing barrier two, Kathy O’Hara was able to settle her four-year-old gelding behind the speed and steer him through a gap late to finish off strong and hold off the fast-finishing Kovalica, with Joao Moreira getting everything out of the Queensland Derby winner. Mid-race the favourite Nugget ($7.00) was stuck three-wide, so Damien Oliver elected to set him alight around the outside and join Golden Mile ($16.00) in the lead, which set the race up for something to run on from the back of the field. Although he had to absorb the pressure from Nugget and led for most of the 1600m, Golden Mile managed to hold on for third place and finished half-a-length off the Waller quinella.
  • For the third time in Epsom Handicap history, a dead heat was declared in the 2022 edition of the event. The judge could not find a margin between Ellsberg from the Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou-trained Ellsberg or the Annabel Neasham-trained Top Ranked. Both winners defied history by becoming the third and fourth Epsom winner to carry more than 56kg to success in the time-honoured event.
  • The Joe Pride-trained Private Eye came from the tail of the field for a richly deserved first Group 1 triumph in Saturday’s $1,500,000 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick. Ridden by Regan Bayliss, Private Eye came with a barnstorming finish down the centre of the track to defeat Aramayo by a head with a short-half-head back to Dalasan \ in third giving Regan Bayliss his first ever double Group One win for the day.
  • Old sparring partners Probabeel and Funstar went stride-for-stride over the concluding stages, but it was the New Zealand mare Probabeel who claimed Epsom Handicap success. On the back of a near perfect steer from Kerrin McEvoy, the mare was settled in the first six despite jumping from barrier 15. When asked for an effort the mare quickly put a length on her rivals and in the end it was quite a soft win for a mare on the way up.
  • Glen Boss and Chris Waller teamed up to take out the 2019 Epsom Handicap. The Waller trained galloper shared favouritism with the star Kiwi galloper Te Akau Shark and it was the two who fought out the finish, with Kolding holding on by the barest of margins to defy a flying Te Akau Shark in a battle for the ages. Kolding comes of age in Epsom Hcp victory
  • Who would have picked long-time Winx rival Hartnell’s revival would come under the mightymare’s regular horseman Hugh Bowman? Saddling up in the Epsom after a pair of encouraging runs in Melbourne, a trip to Sydney was just the tonic for the Godolphin gun, which got a beautiful run in transit and surged to the line in the latter stages of the race to topple D’Argento in a photo finish.
  • Happy Clapper justified its favouritism for the 2017 Epsom Handicap. The Patrick Webster-trained seven-year-old got quickly to the lead in the home straight while its opposition was stuck back in traffic – namely Tom Melbourne which got clear late and rattled home for second. The group one win was a long overdue victory for trainer Patrick Webster and it was one of the feel good stories of the day at Randwick. Read race report here.
  • Godolphin gun Huaraki came into the Epsom of 2016 as a $6.50 shot after a strong performance in the George Main Stakes, but in a confusingly run race, James McDonald found himself at the back of the field with plenty of work to do heading into the latter stages. The Kiwi took the gun runner to the wide outside and hammered it home to win in a photo finish ahead of a dynamic Dibayani. Read a full report.
  • One of the 17 straight, Winx came into the Epsom Handicap as an odds-on favourite and justified the short price in a dominating display. Despite getting tangled up coming around the Randwick bend Winx balanced up nicely and streaked away to the line.
  • French import He’s Your Man’s performance in the 2014 Epsom Handicap could be the greatest victories of the modern era. Under a spectacular ride from Joao Moreira, the gelding powered to the line and got the bob of the head in at the perfect time to tip out stablemate Royal Descent.
  • In its first major group 1 success in a glittering career, Waller-trained superstar Boban produced an off-the-canvas performance few had seen before in the Epsom. After rounding the corner in last, Glyn Schofield gave the gelding everything he had after taking it to the outside and the horse responded, taking the race out in the a photo to return $6 for punters.

Previous Epsom Handicap winners

Epsom Handicap Past Winners
Year Horse Jockey Trainer
2023 Rediener Kathy O’Hara Chris Waller
2022 Ellsberg / Top Ranked Brenton Avdulla / Hugh Bowman Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou / Annabel Neasham
2021 Private Eye Regan Bayliss Joseph Pride
2020 Probabeel Kerrin McEvoy Jamie Richards
2019 Kolding Glen Boss Chris Waller
2018 Hartnell Hugh Bowman James Cummings
2017 Happy Clapper Blake Shinn Patrick Webster
2016 Hauraki James McDonald John O’Shea
2015 Winx Hugh Bowman Chris Waller
2014 He’s Your Man Joao Moreira Chris Waller
2013 Boban Glyn Schofield Guy Walter
2012 Fat Al Tommy Berry Gai Waterhouse
2011 Secret Admirer Brenton Avdulla Grahame Begg
2010 Captain Sonador Glen Boss Roger Milne
2009 Rock Kingdom Blake Shinn Gai Waterhouse
2008 Theseo Zac Purton Gai Waterhouse
2007 Race Not Held
2006 Racing To Win Glen Boss John O’Shea
2005 Desert War Larry Cassidy Gai Waterhouse
2004 Desert War Scott Seamer Gai Waterhouse
2003 Clangalang Corey Brown Gerald Ryan & Sterling Alexiou
2002 Excellerator Jim Cassidy Gai Waterhouse
2001 Final Fantasy Mark de Montfort Bruce Cross
2000 Shogun Lodge Glen Boss Bob Thomsen

Epsom Handicap Past Winners Pre 2000

Epsom Handicap Past Winners Pre 2000
Year Horse
1999 Allez Suez
1998 Dodge
1997 Iron Horse
1996 Filante
1995 Nick’s Joy
1994 Navy Seal
1993 Golden Sword
1992 Kinjite
1991 Super Impose
1990 Super Impose
1989 From The Planet
1988 Regal Native
1987 Sound Horizon
1986 Chanteclair
1985 Magnitude
1984 Riverdale
1983 Cool River
1982 Dalmacia
1981 Gold Circle
1980 Bold Diplomat
1979 Imposing
1978 Leonotis
1977 Raffindale
1976 La Neige
1975 Authentic Heir
1974 Citadel
1973 Lord Nelson
1972 Triton
1971 Gunsynd
1970 Ricochet
1969 Broker’s Tip
1968 Speed Of Sound
1967 Cabochon
1966 Chantal
1965 Even Better
1964 Toi Port
1963 Toi Port
1962 Rochdale
1961 Sky High
1960 Ma Cherie
1959 Noholme
1958 Turkestan
1957 Timo
1956 Knave
1955 Hans
1954 Connaught
1953 Silver Phantom
1952 High Law
1951 Davey Jones
1950 Achilles
1949 Denali
1948 De La Salle
1947 Titanic
1946 Blue Legend
1945 Shannon
1944 Modulation
1943 Kiaree
1942 Freckles
1941 Rimveil
1940 High Caste
1939 Geebung
1938 King’s Head
1937 Gold Rod
1936 Capris
1935 Synagogue
1934 Silver Ring
1933 Chatham
1932 Chatham
1931 Autopay
1930 Cathmar
1929 Nightmarch
1928 Amounis
1927 Vaals
1926 Amounis
1925 Boaster / Metellus
1924 Blackadder
1923 Claro
1922 Rostrum
1921 Beauford
1920 Greenstead
1919 Wolaroi
1918 Rebus
1917 Satin Bird
1916 Panacre
1915 Woorak
1914 Portrush
1913 Aleconner
1912 Hartfell
1911 Volsloane
1910 Silver Hampton
1909 Hyman
1908 Melodrama
1907 Melodrama
1906 Maximize
1905 Sleeper
1904 Contest
1903 Famous
1902 Air Motor
1901 Sequence
1900 Ampier
1899 Djin Djin
1898 Alemene
1897 Robin Hood
1896 Steward
1895 Hopscotch
1894 Uabba
1893 Brockleigh
1892 Daredevil
1891 Marvel
1890 Bungebah
1889 Novice
1888 Stockwell
1887 Phaon
1886 Zeno
1885 Folly
1884 Espiegle
1883 Masquerade
1882 Masquerade
1881 Waxy
1880 Master Avenel
1879 Sweetmeat
1878 Viscount
1877 Eva
1876 Malta
1875 Evangeline
1874 Westminster
1873 Atalanta / Kingfisher
1872 The Count
1871 Captain Cook
1870 Deceptive
1869 Circassian
1868 Phoebe
1867 Birmingham
1866 Rapidan
1865 Dundee

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