2008 Newmarket Handicap

The Newmarket Handicap the premier sprint race in Australia and is run over 1200 metres. The race is held in March or February each year at Flemington.

Race Type: Group 1 Handicap
Distance: 1200m
Track: Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Victoria

The first Newmarket Handicap was run in 1874 and was won by a horse named Maid of Avenel. The race is for three year olds and up, and is the undisputed top sprint race in Australia, carrying prizemoney of $1,000,000. It is such a tough race that only four horses have won the race in consecutive years during its 134 year history – Razor Sharp (1982/1983), Correct (1960/1961), Gothic (1927/1928) and Aspen (1880/1881).

The race is run over the 1200 metre straight course at Flemington, with the exception of 2007 when it was held at Caulfield due to the Flemington track reconstruction. It is the only race at Flemington, apart from the Melbourne Cup, that can have 24 starters.

It is also a race where three-year-olds and older horses, fillies and mares, colts and geldings have all had their share of success. It is generally held on the second weekend in March.

Trainer Bart Cummings has won this race a record eight times, with his nearest rival being Lee Freedman with three wins. There have been some fantastic finishes in the race such as Rubitano’s win in 2002 where less than a long head separated the first six placegetters.

Almost all of the great sprinters have won or been placed I this race including Wakeful (1901), Ajax (1938), Bernborough (1946), Baguette (1971), Placid Ark (1987), Special (1988), Shaftesbury Avenue (1991), Schillaci (1992), Alinghi (2005), Takeover Target (2006), Miss Andretti (2007) and Weekend Hustler (2008).