Mark Walker’s star Kiwi mare Imperatriz carries top-weight in her bid to take her Group 1 tally into double-figures in the Newmarket Handicap 2024 this weekend at Flemington.

The brilliant daughter of I Am Invincible has been allocated 58kg in this year’s Group 1 $1.5 million Newmarket Handicap (1200m) as a nine-time Group 1 winner.

She was excellent fresh kicking off with an elite level sprint success at Headquarters when narrowly defeating Private Eye in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m).

After the Flemington double now, she is back up to her pet distance of six furlongs (9:7-1-1) and has a brilliant second-up record (6:5-0-1).

Imperatriz no doubt has class and deservingly sits top of the Newmarket Handicap odds at $2.60 through Ladbrokes.com.au.

It is a more generous quote than her usual odds-on pricing however as she must become the first Newmarket Handicap winner since Hay List (58.5kg in 2012) to carry more than 57.5kg to victory.

The last mare to carry those sort of kilos to success in this time-honoured sprint was Black Caviar with 58kg back in 2011, so the company she is looking to join is elite.

Still, from a favourable barrier three draw with Opie Bosson in the saddle she looks hard to beat.

The challenge is expected to come primarily from Buenos Noches who is the early market mover occupying the second line of Newmarket Handicap betting at $4.60.

The Matthew Smith-trained sprinter could be had as long as $6.50 earlier in the week for the upset, but has been steadily backed with Blake Shinn to ride from barrier nine.

The progressive Supido four-year-old is second-up back down south off a resuming Sydney run when fourth in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m).

He has form around Imperatriz from the spring when second by a half-length at double-figures with plenty more kilos in the Group 1 Champions Sprint (1200m) at this track and trip.

The Everest performer gets the weight turnaround now with 55.5kg in the Newmarket and presents as a genuine shot in the handicap clash.

There is only one other runner in the Newmarket Handicap field, which has been reduced by the early scratching of Espiona (8), at single-figures with the resuming Grahame Begg-trained Magic Time ($7).

Michael Dee rides the consistent Hellbent mare here from wider out as the bonny four-year-old looks for a second win from as many starts at the track.

She is a noted fresh performer (3:2-0-0) whose other Flemington assignment yielded a Listed victory back in November of 2022 at just her second start.

Lightly-raced, Saturday marks her ninth run and she is out for win number six.

In the spring she caught the eye with a $2 million The Invitation (1400m) third by a neck to Espiona at Randwick before her one-length victory from a wide alley at Caulfield in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m).

Chris Waller meanwhile has opted to have Espiona race in a smaller field in Sydney’s Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) on the same day at Randwick leaving him without representation in the Newmarket.

Other notable Newmarket hopes at longer odds include the classy Ciaron Maher-trained Bella Nipotina ($10) to be ridden by Craig Williams and the sole three-year-old contender Cylinder ($16) for Godolphin.

The 2024 Newmarket Handicap is set to run as Flemington Race 5 on Saturday’s eight-race card at 3:05pm (AEDT) with full markets from Ladbrokes.com.au available by clicking here.

2024 Newmarket Handicap Final Field & Barrier Draw

No	Last 10	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Probable Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating
1	121x1111x1	IMPERATRIZ	Mark Walker	Opie Bosson	3	58kg			119
2	36x33315x4	BELLA NIPOTINA	Ciaron Maher	Craig Williams	4	55.5kg			114
3	x57x1382x4	BUENOS NOCHES	Matthew Smith	Blake Shinn	9	55.5kg			110
4	17x21714x3	ESPIONA	Chris Waller	Jye McNeil	8	54.5kg			112
5	0150x7527x	RUTHLESS DAME (NZ)	Ciaron Maher	Damian Lane	2	53.5kg			110
6	1x13x5131x	MAGIC TIME	Grahame Begg	Michael Dee	12	53kg			109
7	062725×957	THE ASTROLOGIST	Leon & Troy Corstens	Declan Bates	14	52.5kg			104
8	113x1134x4	BENEDETTA	Jason Warren	Harry Coffey	11	52kg			102
9	423134043x	IT’SOURTIME	Danny O’Brien	Ms Linda Meech	1	52kg			98
10	1×11	MASTER FAY	Chad Ormsby	Dean Yendall	10	52kg			90
11	1134111219	REY MAGNERIO	Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock	Daniel Moor	7	52kg			88
12	145×113117	SGHIRRIPA	Shane & Cassie Oxlade	Craig Newitt	6	52kg			102
13	22x21615x0	SKEW WIFF (NZ)	Mark Walker	Ms Celine Gaudray (a)	5	52kg			107
14	27x11350x6	CYLINDER	James Cummings	Ms Jamie Kah	13	51.5kg			107

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

---

THINK. IS THIS A BET YOU REALLY WANT TO PLACE?

For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.