Newmarket Handicap

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, February 28, 2026 at Flemington Racecourse alongside the now Group 1 The All-Star Mile and saw the progressive Bjorn Baker-trained Caballus ($19) lead all-the-way in a thrilling upset. 

2026 Newmarket Handicap Results

The official Newmarket Handicap results 2026 and finishing order will be published below when the race runs on Saturday, February 28, 2026.

Jockey Craig Newitt jumped aboard the underrated Bjorn Baker-trained sprinter Caballus ($19) for the first time at Flemington on Saturday and, after sticking to the inside rail from barrier one, led from pillar to post to score an upset victory in the 2026 Newmarket Handicap results – Froggy’s record fourth win in the time-honoured sprint classic.

2026 Newmarket Handicap Odds

The Newmarket Handicap 2026 betting markets will be listed below as soon as odds are out on the Group 1 Flemington sprint down the straight this autumn followed by the official Newmarket Handicap results after the event.

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.

2026 Newmarket Handicap Tips

The top Newmarket Handicap 2026 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.

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.

Since 2025, Newmarket Handicap Day has also featured the recently upgraded $2 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.

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

It offers $2 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, February 28, 2026
• 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 – 2026.

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), while in 2026 Caballus scored at a big Newmarket Handicap starting price of $19.

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 – 2026 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. 

The Expressway Stakes also produced the upset 2026 Newmarket Handicap winner with Caballus improving on his lead-up second to Joliestar to win the Group 1 sprint. Joliestar, the previous year’s Newmarket Handicap champ, meanwhile won the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes in Sydney in 2026 on the same day as the Newmarket card at HQ.

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

2026 Newmarket Handicap Field

The official Newmarket Handicap 2026 final field and barriers will be announced by Racing Victoria on March 4, 2026, and published below.

The 2026 Newmarket Handicap field features a bumper line-up of the season’s top sprinters including the airborne Anthony & Sam Freedman-trained Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning winning colt Tentyris chasing his third Group 1 Flemington win on the trot.

Flemington R9 - Yulong Newmarket Handicap (G1)

Final Race time: 

	Entrant	Last 6	Sex	Barrier	Weight
	1. Baraqiel (3)  Scratched:
	2. Tentyris J: Mark Zahra T: Anthony & Sam Freedman	x311x1	C	11	57kg
	3. War Machine J: Jamie Mott T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes	x100x3	G	10	57kg
	4. Angel Capital J: Ben Melham T: Chris Waller	1462x4	H	2	56kg
	5. Sepals J: Daniel Stackhouse T: Cliff Brown	x1102x	G	3	56kg
	6. Caballus J: Craig Newitt T: Bjorn Baker	5181x2	G	1	55kg
	7. Benedetta J: Jamie Melham T: Ciaron Maher	x758x3	M	12	54kg
	8. De Bergerac J: Logan Bates T: Grahame Begg	4512x0	G	13	52kg
	9. Disneck J: Winona Costin T: Bjorn Baker	958x16	G	7	52kg
	10. Gallant Son J: Luke Cartwright T: Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman	24x113	H	9	52kg
	11. Geegees Mistruth J: Lachlan Neindorf T: Mark Walker	022x30	M	4	52kg
	12. Sghirripa J: Harry Coffey T: Shane & Cassie Oxlade	750x18	G	8	52kg
	13. My Gladiola J: Craig Williams T: John Mcardle	1223x2	F	6	50.5kg
	14. Wodeton J: W M Lordan T: Chris Waller	2420x3	C	14	50kg
	15. Pallaton J: Teo Nugent T: Michael Freedman	621x41	C	5	50kg

View Results

2026 Newmarket Handicap Nominations

The official Newmarket Handicap 2026 Nominations close on Monday the 2nd of March 2026 and will be updated below once confirmed.

The Newmarket Handicap 2026 nominations attracted 24 autumn sprinters led in all-in betting by Anthony & Sam Freedman’s boom Street Boss colt Tentyris coming off a first-up win over the older horses at HQ in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning.

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.

The 2025 Newmarket Handicap winner Joliestar franked her elite sprinting credentials that autumn with a brave second in the All Aged Stakes, before returning in the spring for another strong campaign highlighted by a third placing in the Champions Sprint. The form stacked up beautifully too, with runner‑up Headwall going on to finish third in the TJ Smith and then running second in Perth’s The Quokka, further reinforcing the strength of that Newmarket edition.

Newmarket Handicap Form Facts

• From 2008 – 2026 two races produced 15 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 – 2026 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).

2026 Newmarket Handicap Form Guide

A link to our comprehensive Newmarket Handicap 2026 Form Guide will be provided below the week of the race.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR FULL 2026 NEWMARKET HANDICAP FORM GUIDE

Past Newmarket Handicap Results

While favourites have a strong record in the famous sprint upset Newmarket Handicap results often occur also including Caballus ($19 in 2026), 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).

Joliestar (2025) was the last Newmarket Handicap winning mare.

Recent Newmarket Handicap Winners

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

Year	Winner	Runner-Up	Third	Time
2026	Caballus	Gallant Son	Angel Capital	1:09.97
2025	Joliestar	Headwall	Stretan Angel	1:08.75
2024	Cylinder	Imperatriz	The Astrologist	1:08.83
2023	In Secret	Lofty Strike	I Wish I Win	1:08.2
2022	Roch ‘N’ Horse	The Astrologist	September Run	1:09.0
2021	Zoutori	Indian Pacific	Amish Boy	1:09.6
2020	Bivouac	Loving Gaby	Gytrash	1:09.2
2019	Sunlight	Osborne Bulls	Brave Smash	1:08.2
2018	Redkirk Warrior	Brave Smash	Merchant Navy	1:08.3
2017	Redkirk Warrior	Voodoo Lad	Star Turn	1:09.0
2016	The Quarterback	Black Heart Bart	Chautauqua	1:09.2
2015	Brazen Beau	Chautauqua	Terravista	1:09.2
2014	Lankan Rupee	Spirit Of Boom	Knoydart	1:09.2
2013	Shamexpress	Moment Of Change	Aeronautical	1:08.1
2012	Hay List	Buffering	Foxwedge	1:08.7
2011	Black Caviar	Crystal Lily	Beaded	1.07.3
2010	Wanted	Eagle Falls	Starspangledbanner	1:10.1
2009	Scenic Blast	Swiss Ace	Aichi	1:08.7
2008	Weekend Hustler	Magnus	Grand Duels	1:09.0
2007	Miss Andretti	Gold Edition	Undue	1:07.7
2006	Takeover Target	Snitzel	Stratum	1:08.3
2005	Alinghi	Fastnet Rock	Foreplay	1:08.1
2004	Exceed And Excel	Titanic Jack	Regimental Gal	1:08.7
2003	Belle Du Jour	Bel Esprit	Super Impressive	1:08.6
2002	Rubitano	North Boy	Mistegic	1:09.0
2001	Toledo	Show A Heart	Mannington	1:08.6
2000	Miss Pennymoney	Black Bean	Falvelon	1:07.6

FAQ

Who won the 2026 Newmarket Handicap?

The 2026 Newmarket Handicap was won by five-year-old I Am Invincible gelding Caballus second-up in an upset at $19 for trainer Bjorn Baker with jockey Craig Newitt aboard on 55kg from barrier 1 to lead all-the-way and win by 0.25 lengths on a Good (3) track in a time of 1:09.97.

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 2026?

Saturday, February 28, 2026

What is the prize money for the Newmarket Handicap 2026?

$1,500,000

Where is the Newmarket Handicap 2026?

Flemington Racecourse, 448 Epsom Rd, Flemington VIC 3031.

How do I bet on the 2026 Newmarket Handicap?

Bet online or via the latest iOS/Android apps with Ladbrokes.
The first step is to create an account at ladbrokes.com.au. The process is quick and easy!
Once you've created your account you can make a deposit via credit card, or any other of our secure payment methods. Next up, head to the racing page and find the race and runner that's right for you.

Which horse will win the 2026 Newmarket Handicap?

The best way to pick which horse will win the Newmarket Handicap is to take into account the form, assess the barriers, and consider the weight the horse will carry (among other factors). Check out ladbrokes.com.au in the lead up to the race for full form information.