Redzel is the most notable omission from the Newmarket Handicap 2018 first acceptances taken for the Super Saturday sprint at Flemington Racecourse on March 10.

Racing Victoria took first declarations for both the Group 1 $1.5 million Australian Cup (2000m) and the Group 1 $1.25 million Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m) on Tuesday.

Down from 56 sprinters at nomination stage, the Newmarket Handicap first acceptances drew 33 hopefuls but Peter & Paul Snowden’s inaugural The Everest champion Redzel was not among the potential runners.

Redzel returned to racing for the first time since his Group 1 Darley Classic (1200m) success at the Newmarket track / distance from the spring in last Saturday’s Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m).

A winner of just shy of $8 million in prize money, the son of Snitzel was odds-on and looked the winner until the final seconds when Redkirk Warrior flashed home for the narrow upset.

Race fans are denied a rematch between the Black Caviar Lightning quinella in the Newmarket Handicap however with Redzel more likely to contest a race like the Group 1 $500,000 William Reid Stakes (1200m) at the Valley on March 23 before heading to Sydney for the 2018 TJ Smith Stakes.

Heading the Newmarket Handicap first declarations then is the returning champion, the Lindsay Park-trained Redkirk Warrior chasing successive wins in the autumn feature since Razor Sharp (1982-83).

Last autumn the Hong Kong expat made history as the maiden first-up Newmarket Handicap winner in a century and the now seven-year-old pays $8 to go back-to-back in 2018.

Sure to be lumped with a notable weight penalty, the bookies are still taking no chances with Redkirk Warrior who is three-from-four at the Flemington track after his blistering late win in the Black Caviar Lightning that last produced a Newmarket winner in Brazen Beau (2^nd in 2015).

The David Hayes-led Lindsay Park stable have a total of 10 Newmarket Handicap first acceptances with other standouts for the team including last year’s Blue Diamond winning filly Catchy and the imported Fastnet Tempest who won on Emirates Stakes Day at Flemington last season.

Heading the Newmarket Handicap betting markets at Ladbrokes.com.au post-first acceptances at $4.50 for the win meanwhile is the Aaron Purcell-trained Merchant Navy.

The three-year-old son of Fastnet Rock saluted down the famous Flemington ‘Straight Six’ at elite level against his own kind in the spring taking out the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m).

He returned on February 10 at Caulfield taking on the older sprinters when far from disgraced crossing just a quarter-length back third to Super Cash in the Group 2 Rubiton Stakes (1100m).

From 2010 – 2-17 a trio of three-year-olds have won the Newmarket Handicap, most recently the aforementioned Brazen Beau (2015), and there is money on Merchant Navy to be the next in 2018.

The other best fancied of the Newmarket Handicap first acceptors by the bookies at $6 is Rich Charm for colourful Cranbourne-based trainer Mrs Udyta Clarke.

The five-year-old son of Danerich is a Flemington specialist (5:3-0-1) including his Group 2 Linlithgow Stakes (1200m) win at the track on VRC Derby Day.

Rich Charm kicked off his autumn in the Rubiton running a close fourth and is set to improve getting back up to his pet distance of 1200m (10:6-2-1).

Other standout Newmarket Handicap first acceptances include Team Hawkes’ triple TJ Smith Stakes champion Chautauqua, the Golden Slipper wining filly She Will Reign and the Tony McEvoy-trained dual Group 1 winner Hey Doc.

Check out the full Newmarket Handicap 2018 first acceptances below before heading to Ladbrokes.com.au for updated odds on the classic.

2018 Newmarket Handicap First Acceptances

Flemington Racecourse – 10/03/2018

#	Form (Last 10)	Horse	Sex	Age	Trainer	Hcp. Rating
1	12x2316x1	BOOKER	F	3	Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra	101
2	44x2123x53	BRAVE SMASH (JPN)	H	5	Darren Weir	108
3	16111250×6	CANNYESCENT	G	5	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	96
4	110x21330x	CATCHY	F	3	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	102
5	3231x7644x	CHAUTAUQUA	G	7	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	115
6	81368x008x	DERRYN	H	4	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	102
7	311900821x	FASTNET TEMPEST (IRE)	G	5	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	98
8	98x4408x42	FLAMBERGE	G	8	Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra	110
9	x21x78192x	FUHRYK	M	4	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	103
10	1x2247x12x	GLENALL	H	4	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	93
11	4423x654x5	HELLBENT	H	5	Darren Weir	105
12	196x1401x7	HEY DOC	G	4	Tony McEvoy	–
13	1x29x4	I DID IT AGAIN	G	3	Greg Eurell	70
14	21x4320x1	KEMENTARI	C	3	James Cummings	102
15	75537×5141	KEN’S DREAM	G	4	Darren Weir	95
16	415x66x165	LORD OF THE SKY	H	7	Robbie Laing	106
17	1351x30x32	LUCKY LIBERTY	G	6	Henry Dwyer	90
18	111x101x3	MERCHANT NAVY	C	3	Aaron Purcell	108
19	x1449729x3	MISSROCK	M	4	Robbie Laing	–
20	24x21x28	PREZADO	G	3	Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra	78
21	x105x100x1	REDKIRK WARRIOR (GB)	G	7	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	–
22	4111x411x4	RICH CHARM	G	5	Udyta Clarke	103
23	11x43765x5	ROCK MAGIC	G	8	Chris Gangemi	–
24	14x164x10x	RUSSIAN REVOLUTION	H	4	Peter & Paul Snowden	109
25	1x1x71192x	SAVANNA AMOUR	M	4	Chris Meagher	102
26	1x121x10x1	SHE WILL REIGN	F	3	Gary Portelli	112
27	1460x4359x	SHEIDEL	M	6	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	110
28	12121x11x2	SNITTY KITTY	M	4	Henry Dwyer	101
29	x22833005x	SO SI BON	H	4	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	95
30	3x930x15x4	SUPIDO	H	6	Michael Kent	–
31	212x22150x	THEANSWERMYFRIEND	G	4	Henry Dwyer	96
32	1306x13x14	THRONUM	H	4	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	104
33	135x2450x4	TULIP	F	3	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	81