The richest race on the Royal Randwick card in Sydney this Saturday to kick off October Group 1 racing is the 2016 Epsom Handicap, a full form guide analysis and betting preview on the mile classic found below.

McCreery is considered trainer Chris Waller’s best chance of securing a fourth straight success in the Epsom Handicap 2016 on Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.

Due to jump at 4:00pm (AEST) as Randwick Race 7, a field of 13 gallopers is engaged to face off in this year’s $1 million Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m).

Five of those currently pay under $10 for the win in the Epsom Handicap odds at Ladbrokes.com.au including the narrow $5 favourite Hauraki for John O’Shea.

He finished a brave second to Australia’s best horse Winx over the track / distance a fortnight back in the Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m) and drops from 59kg that run to 56kg on Saturday.

Without Winx in the mix, the Godolphin-raced Reset gelding is tipped as the horse to beat in the Epsom Handicap third-up after he also won the Group 2 Tramway Stakes (1400m) at the track in the wet first-up.

In an open market the next best fancied in Epsom Handicap betting this Sydney Spring Racing Carnival are early mover McCreery ($5.50) on just 51.5kg with Kerrin McEvoy riding, the 57kg top weight Palentino coming off the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) win in Melbourne and the in-form but less experienced Fabrizio ($7).

That’s the story told by the bookies but what about the Epsom Handicap form guide, betting history and statistics?

2016 Epsom Handicap Form Facts & Betting Stats

• Last year’s Epsom Handicap winner was the Chris Waller-trained Winx (2015) who came off a Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes win, jumped from barrier 12 (of 14) and saluted as the $2 favourite with Hugh Bowman aboard on 57kg
• Chris Waller has won the past three editions of the Epsom Handicap and chases a fourth this year with #8 Mackintosh ($12), #9 McCreery ($5.50), #11 Vanbrugh ($20) and #12 Torgersen ($26)
• Along with Chris Waller (18-3-2-1) the other previous Epsom Handicap winning trainers with a runner this weekend are: Gai Waterhouse (49-7-7-4) who chases a record eighth win with #13 Fabrizio ($7) who she trains in partnership with Adrian Bott; and John O’Shea (7-1-0-0) with #2 Hauraki ($5)

• Last year’s winning jockey Hugh Bowman is back chasing successive victories on #3 Le Romain ($12)
• Along with Hugh Bowman (8-1-2-0) the other previous Epsom Handicap winning jockeys with a ride on Saturday are: Glen Boss (13-3-2-0) on #7 Sons Of John ($17); Brenton Avdulla (4-1-0-0) on #4 Happy Clapper ($9.50); Tommy Berry (5-1-0-1) on #8 Mackintosh; and Corey Brown (15-1-2-1) on #10 Heavens Above ($17)
• Horse Racing Tip Jockey Glen Boss is after a record fourth winning Epsom Handicap ride in 2016 on Sons Of John
• Winx was just the second mare in over 30 years to win the Epsom Handicap along with Secret Admirer (2011); the only mare in the mix this year is #10 Heavens Above
• The past three Epsom Handicap winners all came off a last start victory; the last start winners lining-up on Saturday are: #1 Palentino (Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes, 1600m, Flemington, 10/09/2016); #7 Sons Of John (Group 3 Bill Ritchie Handicap, 1400m, Randwick, 17/09/2016); #8 Mackintosh (Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes, 1300m, Rosehill, 10/09/2016); #9 McCreery (Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes, 2000m, Rosehill, 10/09/2016) and #13 Fabrizio (BM85, 1600m, Randwick, 17/09/2016)
• #8 Mackintosh chases the Theo Marks Stakes – Epsom Handicap double achieved by stablemate Winx (2015) 12 months ago
• History is against #1 Palentino ($6) as no Epsom Handicap winner in over 30 years has come off a Melbourne lead-up run
• Last year’s winning barrier (12) has produced three winners (since 1983) and is drawn by #5 Mighty Lucky ($41) this weekend
• The most successful Epsom Handicap barriers in that time producing four winners each are 7 and 8 drawn on Saturday by #11 Vanbrugh (7) and #10 Heavens Above (8)
• Favourites have won three times in the past 10 years; this year’s Epsom Handicap favourite is #2 Hauraki
• Four-year-olds have the standout record in the race with 15 wins in the past 20 years and six in the past seven years; the 4YOs in the race this year are: #1 Palentino, #3 Le Romain, #8 Mackintosh, #11 Vanbrugh and #13 Torgersen

• The highest Win Rate of the field belongs to #8 Mackintosh (67%) followed by #13 Fabrizio (63%), #9 McCreery (45%) and #1 Palentino (40%)
• The best Place Race of the field belongs to #3 Le Romain (91%) followed by #9 McCreery (82%), #10 Heavens Above (76%) and #13 Fabrizio (75%)
• The horses with the best winning record over the distance (1600m) are: #9 McCreery (5-3-2-0), #1 Palentino (2-2-0-0), #13 Fabrizio, #4 Happy Clapper (4-2-1-1), #7 Sons Of John (10-2-0-1), #10 Heavens Above (4-1-1-2), #11 Vanbrugh (4-1-1-0), #5 Mighty Lucky (7-1-2-1) and #3 Le Romain (1-1-0-0)

• The horses with the best winning record at the track (Randwick) are: #7 Sons Of John (6-3-0-1), #4 Happy Clapper (9-3-1-1), #2 Hauraki (10-2-3-2), #3 Le Romain (5-2-3-0), #10 Heavens Above (5-2-1-1), #5 Mighty Lucky (5-2-0-0) and #11 Vanbrugh (6-2-0-0)

Stay tuned for our exclusive Epsom Handicap 2016 betting tips to be published shortly.

In the meantime check out the full Epsom Form Guide below provided by Ladbrokes.com.au.

2016 Epsom Handicap Form Guide