Nominations are now out for a host of upcoming Sydney Spring Racing Carnival majors including those for the Epsom Handicap 2023 to run at Royal Randwick on Saturday the 30th of September, 2023.

Pericles is one of the early favourites in 2023 Epsom Handicap betting following the release of nominations. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

The Group 1 $1.5 million Epsom Handicap (1600m) attracted 104 early entries this season.

It is a tight early battle for top spot in Epsom Handicap betting at Ladbrokes.com.au with three of the nominees currently equal at $8 favouritism: Kovalica, Pericles and Princess Grace.

Kovalica is prepared by master Sydney horseman Chris Waller and is best known for his Group 1 Queensland Derby victory in Brisbane during the winter.

The now four-year-old son of Ocean Park is likely to resume in the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) on Saturday.

Already a six-time winner from nine starts he also ran third against the older horses last prep in the Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m).

Waller has a bumper 21 Epsom Handicap nominations this year chasing his fifth win in the race and his first since his 2019 victory with Kolding.

Already fit and showing plenty of potential this time in is the James Cummings-trained Pericles who was last seen winning the Group 2 Tramway Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on September 2.

The Street Boss four-year-old has had three Group 1 assignments to date with his best result being a second in the autumn’s Rosehill Guineas over 2000m.

The other all-in top-elect and the best fancied of the girls is Princess Grace who is also prepared by Waller.

The seven-year-old import has already made a huge impression down under with a number of top performances including winning the Group 3 Hawkesbury Crown (1300m) in April.

This time in she has enjoyed back-to-back Group 1 seconds firstly in the Winx Stakes behind her stablemate and fellow Epsom nominee Fangirl before placing behind Mr Brightside in Melbourne’s Memsie Stakes last Saturday at Caulfield.

Visiting Kiwi-trained mare Probabeel (2020) was the last Epsom Handicap winning mare.

Another Memsie Stakes graduate being kept safe in early Epsom Handicap betting at $11 is the fifth-placed Lonhro four-year-old Amenable.

Amenable is one of five entries for Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) with the stable’s other best chance at this stage looking to be Globe who is four-from-four and unbeaten at time of publish.

Other standout Epsom Handicap nominations around the same price in pre-field markets include Kris Lees‘ Queensland Oaks winner Amokura, Queen Of The Turf runner-up Hope In Your Heart who resumed with a Tramway second, and Annabel Neasham‘s multiple Group 1 winning nine-year-old Zaaki.

The 2023 Epsom Handicap final acceptances close at 9:00am (local time) on Tuesday the 26th of September, 2023.

Click here for the updated all-in Epsom Handicap 2023 odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2023 Epsom Handicap Nominations

Table Credit: Racing Australia.