Racing NSW on Monday received 89 nominations for the end of the month’s Epsom Handicap 2017 and it is the Chris Waller-trained mares leading the way in early betting.
Egg Tart has been included in 2017 Epsom Handicap nominations. Photo: Jenny Barnes
Early entries for the Group 1 $1 million Epsom Handicap (1600m), to run at Royal Randwick on September 30, were up notably from 37 last Sydney Spring Racing Carnival.
Waller has enjoyed a magic run in recent Epsom Handicap results preparing three of the past four winners with Boban (2013), He’s Your Man (2014) and superstar mare Winx (2015).
The master Sydney horseman is back in 2017 with a total of 13 Epsom Handicap nominations.
Of those the best fancied leading the updated Epsom Handicap odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au are his dual Oaks winner Egg Tart ($5) and fellow four-year-old mare Foxplay ($9).
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The stablemates are the only current horses under double figures in futures Epsom Handicap betting and punters get a first look at the early favourite Egg Tart when she resumes racing this Saturday.
Egg Tart is out to extend her winning streak to seven straight when she kicks off her season in the Group 2 $200,000 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m).
If successful, she will then be out to emulate her champion stablemate Winx who completed the Theo Marks Stakes – Epsom Handicap double on way to her first Cox Plate victory in 2015.
A daughter of Sebring, Egg Tart was last seen winning the Group 1 Schweppes Oaks (2000m) – Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) double and has trialled twice leading up to her return.
Foxplay meanwhile gave Winx something to chase home first-up when she lead until the final strides eventually running second in the Group 2 Warwick Stakes (1400m) on August 19.
The Foxwedge grey is already proven over the Randwick mile having won the Group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m) over the Epsom Handicap track and distance during the autumn.
Other key Waller-trained entries including Comin’ Through ($15) and last year’s Epsom Handicap third placegetter Mackintosh ($17).
Already guaranteed a start in the Epsom Handicap field thanks to a win in last weekend’s Group 2 Tramway Stakes (1400m) is the Patrick Webster-trained seven-year-old Happy Clapper.
Fourth in the Epsom Handicap results last year, the evergreen veteran is also a dual Doncaster Mile runner-up at the track and distance and the bookies have him at $11 for the win.
Equal at $11 are the Tramway Stakes runner-up Tom Melbourne for Waller and the progressive Darren Weir-trained Japanese import Tosen Stardom.
Victorian trainer Weir is after his maiden ATC Epsom Handicap win and has a total of 10 entries.
A Group 1 placegetter in Melbourne behind stablemate Black Heart Bart in the autumn, Tosen Stardom put the writing on the wall for a big spring with his third to Vega Magic in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield last weekend.
Black Heart Bart ($13) is also in Epsom Handicap contention for Weir, the fellow gun seven-year-old having run second when unsuccessfully defending his Memsie Stakes title second-up.
Other key Epsom nominees include the Kris Lees-trained duo of Le Romain who is a Randwick specialist and this year’s Randwick Guineas runner-up Invincible Gem.
Epsom Handicap 2017 weights will be released on September 18 along with those for The Metropolitan, which drew 73 nominations this week.
Check out the latest Epsom Handicap odds at Ladbrokes.com.au on the nominated horses and lock in top early value in the all-in markets at our preferred online sportsbook.
2017 Epsom Handicap Nominations
Royal Randwick – 30/09/2017
