Newmarket Handicap nominations a star-studded affair
A star-studded list of nominations for the Newmarket Handicap was released on Tuesday morning, with the top three place-getters from last year set to tackle the March 11 event at Flemington.
But The Quarterback, Black Heart Bart and Chautauqua face some stiff competition with a brilliant crop of three-year-olds also nominated for the 1200m race.
Group 1 winners Astern, Extreme Choice and Flying Artie headline the three year old entries for the $1.255 million race, which falls on the appropriately-named Super Saturday, with the race day also including the Australian Cup.
A total of 66 entries were received for the race, including the top five from the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m), headlined by Flying Artie and Mick Price’s other runner Extreme Choice.
Last year’s Darley Cup place-getters Spieth and Fell Swoop will have their chance to claim victory in the absence of Malaguerra who beat them home in a narrow finish on Emirates Stakes Day.
“These G1 winning entries will be complemented by a strong representation of sprinting stars in the Lexus Newmarket Handicap with Moir Stakes winner Extreme Choice, Hong Kong Chairman’s Sprint Prize winner Chautauqua, Coolmoore Stud Stakes champion Flying Artie, and Darley Classic runner-up Spieth – all nominated for the 1200m sprint,” Racing Victoria, Executive General Manager of Racing, Greg Carpenter, said.
“Godolphin has nominated 2016 Golden Rose winner Astern in both the Lexus Newmarket Handicap and the Australian Guineas, which also includes the James Cummings-trained Prized Icon who burst clear from the well fancied Sacred Elixir to win last year’s Victoria Derby.”
Racing Victoria also released the nominations for the Australian Cup with champion mare Winx nominated but unlikely to run after connections hinted she is likely to stay in Sydney.
But there will be plenty of star power with Melbourne Cup winner Almandin, Jameka and Hartnell all set to tackle the 2000m race.
Preferment will also defend his title after he won by protest over Awesome Rock last year.
“As it stands there is the possibility that we could see the Cox Plate, Melbourne and Caulfield Cup champions, among a host of other G1 winners from 2016 squaring off in one of the strongest Australian Cups we have seen in some time,” Carpenter said.
The weights for the Newmarket Handicap will be released by 11am (AEST) on Tuesday 28, February.
First acceptances will be taken on Tuesday 21 February at 12pm (AEST).
Full list of nominations for Newmarket Handicap
Nominations: Aegean Sea (Clarry Conners), Arod (Chris Waller), Astern (John O’Shea), Astro Castro (Alan Hunter), Barthelona (Michael Moroney), Big Money (Rodney Northam), Black Heart Bart (Darren Weir), Chautauqua (Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes), Chetwood (John O’Shea), Churchill Dancer (David & B Hayes, Tom Dabernig), Counterattack (Chris Waller), Dal Cielo (Kris Lees), Denmagic (David Pfieffer), Dothraki (Peter and Paul Snowden), El Divino (Darren Weir), Essay Raider (Trevor Godfrey) , Extreme Choice (Mick Price), Faatinah (Hayes, Dabernig), Fell Swoop (Matthew Dale), Flamerge (Darren Weir), Flippant (Peter and Paul Snowden), Flying Artie (Mick Price), Grande Rosso (Hayes, Dabernig), Guard of Honour (Kris Lees), Heart Testa (Matthew Smith), Heatherly (Matthew Ellerton and Simon Zahra), Hellbent (Darren Weir), Hey Doc (Tony McEvoy), Hooked (Robert Smerdon), I am A Star (Shane Nichols), Illustrious Lad (Peter Gelagotis), Impending (John O’Shea), Inside Agent (Nigel Blackiston), Inspector (Peter White), Kaepernick (Hawkes), Kayla’s Joy (Hayes, Dabernig), Keen Array (Hayes, Dabernig), Kuru (Joseph Pride), Little Indian (Robbie Laing), Miss Promiscuity (Hayes, Dabernig), Missrock (Robbie Laing), Music Magnate (Bjorn Baker), No Doubt (Anthony Cummings), Peacock (John O’Shea), Petits Filous (Ciaron Maher), Power Trip (John McArdle), Private Secretary (Gregory Hickman), Redkirk Warrior (Hayes, Dabernig), Russian Revolution (Peter and Paul Snowden), Shaf (Hayes, Dabernig), Sheidel (Hayes, Dabernig), Sold For Song (Kevin Kemp), Spieth (Bryce Heys), Star Turn (Hawkes), Super Cash (Andrew Noblet), Super Fun (Hayes, Dabernig), Supido (Michael Kent), Tactical Advantage (James Cummings), Target in Sight (Joseph Pride), Terravista (Joseph Pride), The Quarterback (Robbie Griffiths), Thronum (Gai Waterhouse), Tivaci (Michael Moroney), Villa Rosa (Ciaron Maher), Voodoo Lad (Darren Weir), Wall Street Wolf (Hayes, Dabernig).