Newmarket Handicap 2025

Ladbrokes Tip: The Black Caviar Lighting is the best lead-up race into the Newmarket Handicap

The latest edition of the Newmarket Handicap ran on Saturday March 8, 2025 at Flemington Racecourse alongside the now Group 1 The All-Star Mile and saw Chris Waller’s mare Joliestar ($3.40F) salute second-up in style for favourite backers. 

2025 Newmarket Handicap Results

The official Newmarket Handicap results 2025 and finishing order will be published below when the race runs on Saturday March 8, 2025.

Joliestar winning the 2025 Newmarket Handicap down the famous Flemington straight. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

• 1st: #5 Joliestar
• 2nd: #12 Headwall
• 3rd: #9 Stretan Angel 

The Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes on April 5 and Royal Ascot in the UK are calling for Chris Waller’s now two-time Group 1 winning daughter of Zoustar after Joliestar ($3.40F) pulled clear of her rivals to dominate the 2025 Newmarket Handicap results down the Flemington straight second-up on Saturday.

2025 Newmarket Handicap Odds

The Newmarket Handicap 2025 betting markets will be listed below as soon as odds are out on the Group 1 Flemington sprint down the straight this autumn.

The Newmarket Handicap is the feature Group 1 race at Flemington Racecourse at the early March meeting during the Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival.

It was previously held at the same meeting as the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) before the Australian Cup was moved to its own feature race day later in the month ahead of the 2023 edition.

Newmarket Handicap Day 2025 also features the recently upgraded $2.5 million Group 1 All-Star Mile (1600m), which was formerly a public vote, special conditions race before being elevated to Group 1 status ahead of the 2025 edition.

Upset 2022 Newmarket Handicap Winner Roch ‘N’ Horse won at 100/1. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

The Newmarket Handicap is an elite level sprint run down the famous Flemington straight of 1200m.

It offers $1.5 million in prize money and as the name suggests is contested under handicap conditions.

Many of the season’s top sprinters come into the Newmarket Handicap via the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes held at the same track over 200m shorter the month before, with former champion sprinter Black Caviar (2011) the last to do the double before the historical win by Redkirk Warrior (2018) who also saluted in the Newmarket Handicap results in 2017.

Newmarket Handicap Race Info

• Date: Saturday March 8, 2025
• Track: Flemington Racecourse
• Distance: 1200m
• Conditions: Open Handicap
• Status: Group 1
• Prize Money: $1.5 million
• First Run: 1874

Newmarket Handicap Betting

The Newmarket Handicap is one of the first autumn feature races where futures betting is available and there is often great value to be had in these pre-field Newmarket Handicap betting markets.

With nominations for the sprint out over a month before race day the early Newmarket Handicap odds provide punters with the chance to lock in their all-in selections on the classic before final acceptances are out.

Favourites in Newmarket Handicap betting have an impressive record in the race with seven of the punters’ picks saluting from 2007 – 2025.

Top class sprinters with proven Group 1 winning form usually dominate the Newmarket Handicap odds as do those coming out of the Black Caviar Lighting Stakes and Oakleigh Plate.

Bivouac (6th) was the last Newmarket Handicap winner out of the Oakleigh Plate.

There have been a number of blowout results over the years too however including the 2021 Newmarket when $20 outsider Zoutori defeated fellow roughie’s Indian Pacific ($21) and Amish Boy ($81).

The biggest upset in recent history was in 2022 when the Kiwi mare Roch ‘N’ Horse won at $101!

In 2024 three-year-old Cylinder posted 1.25 length upset at $11 Newmarket odds defeating the $2.80 favourite Imperatriz while the third placed The Astrologist went around at $101.

Joliestar ($3.40 in 2025) was the last Newmarket Handicap favourite to win. 

Newmarket Handicap Field

The Newmarket Handicap race field attracts the autumn’s best sprinters and usually attracts a high number of final acceptances.

The line-up for the Newmarket Handicap is often a similar field to that of the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) run at Flemington in February.

The Black Caviar Lightning Stakes is the most popular lead-up into the Super Saturday Group 1 providing seven Newmarket Handicap winners from 2012 – 2025 including Black Caviar (2011) and Redkirk Warrior (2018) who completed the double.

Cylinder (6th in 2024) was the last Black Caviar Lightning graduate to come out and win the Newmarket Handicap.

The other race producing the most Newmarket Handicap winners is the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield a fortnight before, a double last completed by Lankan Rupee (2014).

In 2023 the Newmarket Handicap winning filly In Secret came off a third in Sydney’s Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m).

In 2022 the shock 100/1 winner Roch ‘N’ Horse took out the Newmarket on the back of a lead-up Group 1 Telegraph Stakes (1200m) second across the Tasman in New Zealand.

The winner of January’s Group 3 Standish Handicap at the same track and distance in the summer earns a ballot exemption into the Newmarket Handicap field.

In 2025 Joliestar won the Newmarket Handicap on the back of a first-up Sydney run when 3rd in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes at Randwick that year. 

Newmarket Handicap nominations close the Monday of race week followed by final acceptances on the Wednesday.

2025 Newmarket Handicap Field

The official Newmarket Handicap 2025 final field and barriers will be announced by Racing Victoria on March 5, 2025, and published below.

The 2025 Newmarket Handicap field features a smart line-up of autumn sprinters with Joliestar a narrow second-up favourite for the Waller stable.

2025 Newmarket Handicap Nominations

The official Newmarket Handicap 2025 Nominations close on Monday the 3rd of March 2025 and will be updated below once confirmed.

The Newmarket Handicap 2025 nominations attracted 19 star sprinters led in all-in betting by Chris Waller’s Zoustar mare Joliestar.

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Newmarket Handicap Tips

Newmarket Handicap tips are often dominated by the season’s top three-year-old sprinter with the youngsters boasting a good record over the older horses in this race.

Six of the 12 Newmarket Handicap winners from 2004 – 2015 were three-year-olds including the Chris Waller-trained Brazen Beau (2015). The three-year-olds were back on top in 2019 with the win by the gun filly Sunlight and 2020 with Bivouac.

In Secret (2023) and Cylinder (2024), both raced by Godolphin and trained by James Cummings, are the latest three-year-old Newmarket Handicap winners.

The best runners out of the Black Caviar Lightning Stakes and Oakleigh Plate are also top Newmarket Handicap tips with those two lead-up Melbourne sprints producing all nine winners from 2008 – 2016 before Redkirk Warrior made history in 2017 winning first-up for the first time in 100 years.

Redkirk Warrior returned to defend his title in 2018 on the back of a Lightning Stakes lead-up win, before Sunlight improved on a Black Caviar Lightning third to win the 2019 Newmarket Handicap. Bivouac won the 2020 Newmarket off an unplaced Oakleigh Plate run, while that year’s Black Caviar Lightning winner Gytrash ran third. In 2021 the Newmarket Handicap winner Zoutori came off a lead-up seventh in the Oakleigh.

A wide barrier doesn’t prevent a class sprinter from making a good Newmarket Handicap tip either with three of the four winners from 2012 – 2015 jumping from double digits including Lankan Rupee (12 in 2014).

Cylinder (barrier 11 in 2024) was the last Newmarket Handicap winner to jump from a wide gate.

2025 Newmarket Handicap Tips

The top Newmarket Handicap 2025 betting tips and exotic Flemington race selections will be available below from the Ladbrokes’ tipsters the week of the race so stay tuned for the sprinters to get behind in the straight track Group 1 this autumn.

For mine, this is far from a vintage edition of the time honoured Newmarket Handicap so chasing a bit of value with Rey Magnerio looking an attractive price in the markets third-up and fit at Headquarters. Robbie Griffiths’ Magnus five-year-old resumed with a narrow Group 2 Rubiton win at Caulfield two back before finishing third to Jimmysstar in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate. Gets up to the six-furlongs now, which he’s got a strong strike-rate over (7:2-3-1), and he’s a gun down the straight with plenty of past Flemington form to rely on. Narrowly denied here in a Group 3 photo-finish over the Melbourne Cup Carnival last year before winning his last start at Flemington after that in Black-Type company just seven days later. Barrier 4 is good, 56kg is manageable, and he looks to be going at career best. Can surprise.

Newmarket Handicap Form Guide

Looking at all the information provided in the Newmarket Handicap form guide is a great way to narrow down the winning chances of the top sprinters in the field.

Things to look for in the form include last start winners and runners-up in the Lightning Stakes and Oakleigh Plate, horses with proven straight track form and previous Group 1 winners.

The Newmarket Handicap form guide also shows the jockeys, trainers and barriers of all runners and the most successful gate in the past 30 years is barrier 7; although down the Flemington straight barriers are of less importance than good lead-up runs.

The Newmarket Handicap 2022 form was franked with the shock $101 winner Roch ‘N’ Horse returning in the spring to win the Group 1 Champions Sprint (1200m) at the same track and distance. The third placed September Run further franked the form winning the Group 1 William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley next-up.

The 2023 Newmarket Handicap third placed I Wish I Win went on to frank the form next start winning Sydney’s Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m). He also returned for a good spring prep that included a second in the $20 million The Everest race.

The 2024 Newmarket Handicap form was franked with the runner-up, Imperatriz, going on to post her 10th career Group 1 success in the William Reid Stakes at her next start.

Newmarket Handicap Form Facts

• From 2008 – 2025 two races produced 14 of the Newmarket Handicap winners with the Oakleigh Plate (7 winners) and the Lightning Stakes (7 winners).
• Redkirk Warrior (2017) became the first Newmarket Handicap winner to take out the race first-up in 100 years.
• Redkirk Warrior (2018) became the first back-to-back Newmarket Handicap winner since Razor Sharp (1982-83).
• Three-year-old sprinters have a strong record in the Newmarket Handicap results with eight wins from 2008 – 2025 most recent In Secret (2023) and Cylinder (2024).
• Before the shock win by 100/1 shot Roch ‘N’ Horse in 2022, Black Caviar (2011) was the last mare to win the Newmarket Handicap so colts, geldings & stallions make a better Group 1 bet in the race; Sunlight (2019) also beat the boys as a three-year-old filly as did In Secret (2023). Joliestar (2025) is the latest Newmarket Handicap winning mare. 
• Wide Newmarket Handicap barriers have produced plenty of recent winners including Cylinder (11 of 12 in 2024), Redkirk Warrior (15 of 15 in 2018), Lankan Rupee (12 of 14 in 2014), Shamexpress (10 of 13 in 2013) and Hay List (14 of 22 in 2012).

2025 Newmarket Handicap Form Guide

A link to our comprehensive Newmarket Handicap 2025 Form Guide will be provided below the week of the race.

Newmarket Handicap Results

While favourites have a strong record in the famous sprint upset Newmarket Handicap results often occur also including Cylinder ($11 in 2024), Shamexpress ($15 in 2013), Wanted ($13 in 2010), and Scenic Blast ($13 in 2009).

More recently there have been a number of really notable blow-out Newmarket Handicap winners including The Quarterback ($21 in 2016), Redkirk Warrior ($31 in 2017), Zoutori ($20 in 2021), and Roch ‘N’ Horse ($101 in 2022).

The Newmarket Handicap results also show the full finishing order of the entire field, winning times, margins, jockeys and trainers.

Notable recent Newmarket Handicap winners include Cylinder (2024), Bivouac (2020), Redkirk Warrior (2017 & 2018), Brazen Beau (2015), Lankan Rupee (2014), Hay List (2012), Black Caviar (2011), and Weekend Hussler (2008).

Recent Newmarket Handicap Winners

Past Newmarket Handicap winners and placegetters dating back to the year 2000 are detailed in the below table.

FAQ

Who won the 2025 Newmarket Handicap?

The 2025 Newmarket Handicap was won by Joliestar at $3.40 favouritism for trainer Chris Waller with jockey Damian Lane aboard on 56kg from barrier 8 to win by 1.25 lengths in a time of 1:08.75.

When is the Newmarket Handicap 2025?

What is the prize money for the Newmarket Handicap 2025?

$1,500,000

Where is the Newmarket Handicap 2025?

Flemington Racecourse, 448 Epsom Rd, Flemington VIC 3031.