Ladbrokes Tip: The Chairman’s Handicap – Sydney Cup double is popular with punters each autumn
The ATC Chairman’s Handicap – or Chairman’s Quality – is a Group 2 status race for stayers held on Day 1 of Sydney’s ‘The Championships’ on the first Saturday in April at Royal Randwick Racecourse.
One of the major Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival meetings, Doncaster Mile Day is headlined by four Group 1 races plus the Chairman’s Handicap contested over 2600m. The highlights on the card that the Chairman’s Handicap supports are the: Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m), Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m), Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) and the Group 1 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m).
Offering a lucrative $300,000 in total prize money and open to horses aged three-years-old and above, the Chairman’s Handicap is a set weights clash and is a traditional lead-up to the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) back at Randwick the following Saturday.
Plenty of Sydney Cup winners and placegetters have come out of the Chairman’s Handicap in recent years with the last to complete the double being The Offer (2014). Other recent Chairman’s Handicap – Sydney Cup double winners include Jessicabeel (2010), No Wine No Song (2008) and Henderson Bay (2002).
The latest edition of the Chairman’s Handicap ran on Saturday April 4, 2020 and was won by the Kris Lees-trained Raheen House in an upset.
ATC Chairman’s Handicap Race Info
- Date: Saturday April 4, 2020
- Track: Royal Randwick Racecourse
- Distance: 2600m
- Conditions: Quality Handicap
- Status: Group 2
- Prize Money: $300,000
- First Run: 1979
2020 Chairman’s Handicap Results
The complete ATC Chairman’s Handicap 2020 Results and race finishing order will be available right here once the race is run and won on Saturday April 4, 2020.
- 1st: #4 Raheen House
- 2nd: #5 Carif
- 3rd: #1 Mirage Dancer
Kris Lees’ import Raheen House won his first race in 911 days with an upset in the Chairman’s Quality 2020 results over the favourite Carif (2nd) ahead of the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) next weekend.
Place |
# |
Horse |
Trainer |
Jockey |
Margin |
Barrier |
Weight |
SP |
1 |
4 |
RAHEEN HOUSE (IRE) |
Kris Lees |
Hugh Bowman |
– |
6 |
56kg |
$17 |
2 |
5 |
CARIF |
Peter & Paul Snowden |
Tim Clark |
1.3L |
4 |
55.5kg |
$5F |
3 |
1 |
MIRAGE DANCER (GB) |
Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
Opie Bosson |
1.7L |
12 |
59kg |
$15 |
4 |
3 |
GALLIC CHIEFTAIN (FR) |
Archie Alexander |
Jason Collett |
2.4L |
1 |
56.5kg |
$9 |
5 |
7 |
ANGEL OF TRUTH |
Gwenda Markwell |
Glen Boss |
3.3L |
9 |
54.5kg |
$7 |
6 |
6 |
YOGI (NZ) |
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
Nash Rawiller |
3.5L |
11 |
55kg (cd 56kg) |
$26 |
7 |
2 |
THE CHOSEN ONE (NZ) |
Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman |
James McDonald |
3.7L |
3 |
57kg |
$10 |
8 |
14 |
THINK IT OVER |
Kerry Parker |
Jay Ford |
6.5L |
5 |
53kg |
$13 |
9 |
13 |
HOUSE OF CARTIER |
John Sargent |
Ms Rachel King |
6.8L |
13 |
53kg |
$10 |
10 |
11 |
YOUNGSTAR |
Chris Waller |
Kerrin McEvoy |
6.9L |
7 |
53.5kg |
$7 |
11 |
12 |
GAYATRI |
Chris Waller |
Tommy Berry |
12L |
8 |
53kg |
$8 |
12 |
8 |
ALL TOO SOON |
David Payne |
Glyn Schofield |
21.6L |
10 |
54kg |
$151 |
13 |
10 |
FAIRLIGHT (IRE) |
Kris Lees |
Brenton Avdulla |
22.4L |
2 |
54kg |
$61 |
– |
15 |
MRS MADRID |
Anthony Cummings |
Jean Van Overmeire (a) |
– |
0 |
– |
– |
– |
9 |
GREAT GLEN (GB) |
Todd Smart |
Robbie Dolan (a) |
– |
0 |
– |
– |
Chairman’s Handicap Odds
Chairman’s Handicap betting markets favour proven stayers with form in Sydney over at least 2400m. Gallopers with winning form up or over the mile and a half have a top record stepping up to the 2600m of the Chairman’s Handicap, and the odds favour the best runners coming out of the NE Manion Cup the month before.
The Chairman’s Handicap – Sydney Cup betting double is also popular each Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, and the results of the former can impact the odds on the latter during ‘The Championships’.
2020 ATC Chairman’s Handicap Betting
Betting on the Chairman’s Handicap 2020 and odds for the Sydney Cup lead-up will be available below the week of the race so stay tuned for markets on the staying showdown.
Chairman’s Handicap Field
The Chairman’s Handicap field attracts proven stayers that are looking for the Sydney Cup ballot exemption on offer to the winner in the next Saturday’s iconic two mile clash.
The key lead-up for Chairman’s Handicap horses is Rosehill’s Group 3 NE Manion Cup (2400m) run the previous month over the mile and a half.
In recent years, Libran (2016) won both races before backing-up with a Sydney Cup second to Gallante while Big Duke (2017) also completed the NE Manion – Chairman’s Quality double the following year ahead of his third in the Sydney Cup results.
ATC Chairman’s Handicap nominations close the Monday before the race runs on the Saturday with the final field and barriers released on the Wednesday.

Libran (2016) won the Chairman’s Handicap before his second in the Sydney Cup next start over the two miles. Photo Credit: Steve Hart.
2020 Chairman’s Handicap Field
The official ATC Chairman’s Handicap 2020 final field and barriers are set to be released by Racing NSW on Wednesday April 1, 2020 and will be announced in full below.
The 2020 Chairman’s Quality final field attracted 15 stayers with last weekend’s Tancred Stakes fifth placegetter Carif in barrier five on the quick back-up narrow early favourite over fellow four-year-old The Chosen One in gate four.
- Scratchings: #9 Great Glen (13), #15 Mrs Madrid (3)
# |
Form (Last 10) |
Horse |
Trainer |
Jockey |
Barrier |
Weight |
Hcp. Rating |
1 |
22x30x0364 |
MIRAGE DANCER (GB) |
Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
Opie Bosson |
14 |
59kg |
107 |
2 |
591950×385 |
THE CHOSEN ONE (NZ) |
Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman |
James McDonald |
4 |
57kg |
103 |
3 |
x042874x97 |
GALLIC CHIEFTAIN (FR) |
Archie Alexander |
Jason Collett |
1 |
56.5kg |
102 |
4 |
4x23960x66 |
RAHEEN HOUSE (IRE) |
Kris Lees |
Hugh Bowman |
7 |
56kg |
101 |
5 |
015222×035 |
CARIF |
Peter & Paul Snowden |
Tim Clark |
5 |
55.5kg |
100 |
6 |
850x23x789 |
YOGI (NZ) |
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
Nash Rawiller |
12 |
55kg (prob. wgt. 56kg) |
99 |
7 |
65800×8957 |
ANGEL OF TRUTH |
Gwenda Markwell |
Glen Boss |
10 |
54.5kg |
98 |
8 |
0077×45697 |
ALL TOO SOON |
David Payne |
Glyn Schofield |
11 |
54kg |
77 |
9 |
x169412934 |
GREAT GLEN (GB) |
Todd Smart |
Robbie Dolan (a) |
13 |
54kg |
70 |
10 |
437x47Px96 |
FAIRLIGHT (IRE) |
Kris Lees |
Brenton Avdulla |
2 |
54kg |
69 |
11 |
878730×425 |
YOUNGSTAR |
Chris Waller |
Kerrin McEvoy |
8 |
53.5kg |
100 |
12 |
9092154×82 |
GAYATRI |
Chris Waller |
Tommy Berry |
9 |
53kg |
91 |
13 |
x801033844 |
HOUSE OF CARTIER |
John Sargent |
Ms Rachel King |
15 |
53kg |
85 |
14 |
34x1x24144 |
THINK IT OVER |
Kerry Parker |
Jay Ford |
6 |
53kg |
84 |
15 |
64x8146x09 |
MRS MADRID |
Anthony Cummings |
Jean Van Overmeire (a) |
3 |
53kg |
71 |
2020 Chairman’s Handicap Nominations
The early Chairman’s Quality 2020 nominations close the Monday leading-up to Doncaster Mile Day and will be available in full below once released.
Last Saturday’s Tancred Stakes runner-up Mustajeer heads the 22 Chairman’s Quality 2020 nominations and weights with 61kg.
# |
Form (Last 10) |
Horse |
Sex |
Age |
Trainer |
Ballot |
Weight |
True Weight |
Hcp. Rating |
1 |
235160×122 |
MUSTAJEER (GB) |
G |
7 |
Kris Lees |
1 |
61kg |
61kg |
113 |
2 |
591950×385 |
THE CHOSEN ONE (NZ) |
H |
4 |
Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman |
2 |
57kg |
57kg |
103 |
3 |
x042874x97 |
GALLIC CHIEFTAIN (FR) |
H |
7 |
Archie Alexander |
3= |
56.5kg |
56.5kg |
102 |
4 |
621816×700 |
HUSH WRITER (JPN) |
G |
5 |
Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
3= |
56.5kg |
56.5kg |
102 |
5 |
4x23960x66 |
RAHEEN HOUSE (IRE) |
G |
6 |
Kris Lees |
5 |
56kg |
56kg |
101 |
6 |
015222×035 |
CARIF |
H |
4 |
Peter & Paul Snowden |
6 |
55.5kg |
55.5kg |
100 |
7 |
850x23x789 |
YOGI (NZ) |
G |
7 |
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
7 |
55kg |
55kg |
99 |
8 |
65800×8957 |
ANGEL OF TRUTH |
G |
4 |
Gwenda Markwell |
8 |
54.5kg |
54.5kg |
98 |
9 |
4554x057x5 |
SAUNTER BOY (FR) |
G |
7 |
Kris Lees |
9 |
54kg |
53kg |
89 |
10 |
143276×507 |
ATTENTION RUN (GER) |
M |
5 |
Kris Lees |
10 |
54kg |
53kg |
87 |
11 |
64x8146x09 |
MRS MADRID |
M |
4 |
Anthony Cummings |
11 |
54kg |
53kg |
71 |
12 |
437x47Px96 |
FAIRLIGHT (IRE) |
G |
5 |
Kris Lees |
12 |
54kg |
53kg |
69 |
13 |
51385×6414 |
LOVES TO ROCK (NZ) |
M |
4 |
Anthony Cummings |
13 |
54kg |
53kg |
60 |
14 |
22x30x0364 |
MIRAGE DANCER (GB) |
H |
6 |
Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
14 |
59kg |
59kg |
107 |
15 |
878730×425 |
YOUNGSTAR |
M |
5 |
Chris Waller |
15 |
54kg |
53.5kg |
100 |
16 |
71108×7212 |
INVERLOCH (IRE) |
G |
6 |
Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
16 |
54.5kg |
54.5kg |
98 |
17 |
400×673111 |
SALSAMOR (NZ) |
G |
5 |
Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
17 |
54kg |
53kg |
93 |
18 |
9092154×82 |
GAYATRI |
M |
5 |
Chris Waller |
18 |
54kg |
53kg |
91 |
19 |
x801033844 |
HOUSE OF CARTIER |
M |
4 |
John Sargent |
19 |
54kg |
53kg |
85 |
20 |
34x1x24144 |
THINK IT OVER |
G |
4 |
Kerry Parker |
20 |
54kg |
53kg |
84 |
21 |
0077×45697 |
ALL TOO SOON |
M |
5 |
David Payne |
21 |
54kg |
53kg |
77 |
22 |
3×16941293 |
GREAT GLEN (GB) |
G |
8 |
Todd Smart |
22 |
54kg |
53kg |
70 |
Chairman’s Handicap Form Guide
The Chairman’s Handicap form guide details all the crucial info punters need before placing a bet like saddlecloth numbers, jockeys, trainers, barriers and lead-up runs.
Looking for horses that come off a run in the NE Manion Cup on the form guide is important as that Rosehill lead-up has provided lots of Chairman’s Handicap winners in recent years including Big Duke (2017), Libran (2016) and The Offer (2014) who all completed the double.
The Chairman’s Handicap form often stacks up the following Saturday back at Randwick Racecourse in the classic Sydney Cup. Both the 2017 (Big Duke) and 2018 (Sir Charles Road) Chairman’s Handicap winners ran third in the Sydney Cup next start.
In 2016 Libran backed up from a Chairman’s Handicap win to run second in the Sydney Cup, while The Offer (2014) completed the Chairman’s Handicap – Sydney Cup double. Jessicabeel (2010) also won the Sydney Cup after success in the Chairman’s the run before.
2020 Chairman’s Handicap Form Guide
A link to our comprehensive Chairman’s Handicap 2020 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.
Chairman’s Handicap Tips
Chairman’s Handicap tips favour horses with proven staying ability, previous form at Randwick and those that ran well in a lead-up race like the NE Manion Cup.
Favourites have a solid record in the race, with recent top fancies saluting for the punters being Libran (2016) and The Offer (2014) who both jumped at around $2 in the Chairman’s Handicap odds.
Big Duke ($2.45 in 2017) was the last favourite in Chairman’s Handicap betting to salute for the punters.
Tipping the favourite and backing the NE Manion Cup winner are top Chairman’s Stakes betting tips historically speaking.
2020 ATC Chairman’s Handicap Tips
Our Ladbrokes’ exclusive ATC Chairman’s Handicap 2020 best bets will be detailed below before the race takes place on the first Saturday of April so bookmark this page for the stayers to back and sack this autumn.
Chairman’s Handicap Results
Proven Sydney stayers coming out of the NE Manion at Rosehill sitting in the top half of betting have dominated the Chairman’s Handicap results in recent years.
Chairman’s Handicap winners of note from the past decade include Libran (2016), The Offer (2014), Jessicabeel (2010) and No Wine No Song (2007-08).
Chairman’s Handicap Winners
Year |
Winner |
2nd |
3rd |
Time |
2020 |
Raheen House |
Carif |
Mirage Dancer |
2:47.8 |
2019 |
Gallic Chieftain |
Shraaoh |
Semari |
2:47.9 |
2018 |
Sir Charles Road |
Ventura Storm |
Peribsen |
2:41.5 |
2017 |
Big Duke |
Aloft |
Rock On |
2:52.4 |
2016 |
Real Love |
Sir John Hawkwood |
Volkhere |
2:00.9 |
2016 |
Libran |
Alegria |
Cafe Society |
2:48.1 |
2015 |
Epingle |
Index Linked |
Volkhere |
2:18.3 |
2015 |
Tremec |
Sir John Hawkwood |
Grand Marshal |
2:49.4 |
2014 |
The Offer |
Tremec |
Hippopus |
2:51.6 |
2013 |
Tremec |
Blood Brotha |
Aliyana Tilde |
2:44.4 |
2012 |
Permit |
Older Than Time |
Nextanix |
2:41.9 |
2011 |
Once Were Wild |
Anudjawun |
C’est Le Guerre |
2:43.4 |
2010 |
Jessicabeel |
No Wine No Song |
Harris Tweed |
2:44.6 |
2009 |
Divine Rebel |
Ice Chariot |
Common Objective |
2:45.9 |
2008 |
No Wine No Song |
Sky Biscuit |
Resolution |
2:49.8 |
2007 |
No Wine No Song |
Prince Arthur |
Magic Instinct |
2:48.1 |
2006 |
Fooram |
Three Chimneys |
Cross Bar |
2:45.0 |
2005 |
Philosophe |
Padfoot Charlie |
County Tyrone |
2:51.1 |
2004 |
Mummify |
County Tyrone |
Saturday Fever |
2:47.7 |
2003 |
Grey Song |
Honor Babe |
County Tyrone |
2:32.4 |
2002 |
Henderson Bay |
Homewrecker |
Asia |
2:29.7 |
2001 |
Steel Phoenix |
Giovana |
Wellington |
2:32.0 |
2000 |
Pravda |
Consolidator |
Regal Touch |
2:31.2 |