Royal Patronage

2024 Epsom Handicap Field & Betting Update: Royal Patronage Widely Drawn Favourite

Lucy Henderson October 2, 2024

2024 Epsom Handicap Field & Betting Update: Royal Patronage Widely Drawn Favourite

The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Royal Patronage has retained favouritism for Saturday’s 2024 Epsom Handicap despite a wide draw for the French-bred import.

Royal Patronage
Royal Patronage is narrow favourite in 2024 Epsom Handicap betting for this weekend’s feature race in Sydney. Photo: Steve Hart.

A capacity field of spring milers is engaged for this year’s Group 1 $1.5 million Epsom Handicap (1600m) which steals the show as the marquee race at Royal Randwick on the weekend.

Drawn gate 17 with Tim Clark to ride is the six-year-old top elect Royal Patronage paying $6 to win in the latest Epsom Handicap odds at Ladbrokes.com.au.

The former European has had two lead-up runs down under for a win fresh in the Group 2 Tramway over Amelia’s Jewel before a last start third only a length off Fangirl carrying 59kg in the $1 million 7 Stakes at this track and trip.

Third-up and fit Royal Patronage comes back to 56kg and even from the wider draw can play a big part in this year’s Epsom finish.

Waterhouse & Bott also saddle-up Major Beel third-up at $12 with Winona Costin aboard the former Australian Derby champ who was only 1.26 lengths back fifth in the 7 Stakes at weight-for-age.

He comes back to 51.5kg this weekend in the Epsom and can outstay a few of these rivals.

Occupying the second line of Epsom Handicap betting at $7 following the favourite closely is the Joe Pride-trained Ceolwulf in gate 14 for Chad Schofield.

This Kiwi-bred Tavistock four-year-old was runner-up to Riff Rocket in this year’s ATC Derby and comes out of a nice form line for this year’s Epsom.

Last time out he crossed a half-length second to Eliyass in the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) from a wide gate with a drop back in distance now looking to get him back in the winner’s stall.

The only other runner currently at single figure Epsom Handicap odds is another $7 fancy with the rails-drawn Chris Waller-trained Kovalica.

Star hoop James McDonald chases his second Epsom success in the saddle this year aboard Ocean Park five-year-old Kovalica from barrier one.

Chris Waller chases his sixth Epsom Handicap win as a trainer and saddles-up seven runners in Saturday's field

The horse hasn’t won since his Queensland Derby success back in May of 2023 but has been competitive at the highest level over the past year.

He comes off a third to Royal Patronage in the Tramway and is better drawn for the rematch here over the Randwick mile.

Master horseman Waller has won the Epsom Handicap five times in the past 11 years and chases a sixth this season saddling up not only Kovalica but also six others from the stable.

The other Waller trained hopes in the mix are Group 2 winner Democracy Manifest ($14), a last start Flemington stakes winner in Chrysaor ($16), narrow Bill Ritchie Handicap winner Mchale ($21) looking to be the second from the stable in as many years to do the double, the defending champion Rediener ($23), in-form outsider Firestorm ($41) chasing a hat-trick, and New Zealand 1000 Guineas winner Molly Bloom ($61).

Of those, Rediener represents value in the Epsom markets looking to go back-to-back for the first time since Desert War (2004-05).

Rediener looks a value bet to be the first two-time Epsom Handicap winner since Desert War in 2004 and 2005

The galloper completed the Bill Ritchie – Epsom double with a light-weight last year at big odds before coming undone in the King Charles.

He had plenty of time on the sidelines to recover and showed promise first up in Rosehill’s Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) running a close third with 58kg.

Back to 55.5kg on Saturday he will defend his title from barrier 12 with Josh Parr in the saddle this year.

The 2024 Epsom Handicap is set to run as Randwick Race 9 at 4:45pm (AEST) as the penultimate event on the card.

Click here for the latest markets from Ladbrokes.com.au.

2024 Epsom Handicap Final Field & Barrier Draw

NoLast 10HorseTrainerJockeyBarrierWeightProbable WeightPenaltyHcp Rating
16x64730x02MY OBERON (IRE)Annabel Neasham & Rob ArchibaldNash Rawiller2156.5kg110
2567x154x13ROYAL PATRONAGE (FR)Gai Waterhouse & Adrian BottTim Clark1756kg109
317x3628x54DETONATOR JACK (NZ)Ciaron MaherJason Collett1656kg108
4x4095365x3KOVALICA (NZ)Chris WallerJames McDonald155.5kg107
51211x110x4REDIENERChris WallerJoshua Parr1255.5kg107
6544x618x40DEMOCRACY MANIFESTChris WallerKerrin McEvoy1055kg106
7x66228x612CEOLWULF (NZ)Joseph PrideChad Schofield1454kg106
804x73407x8NUGGET (GB)Ciaron MaherDylan Gibbons1154kg104
91x65464x15TOM KITTENJames CummingsTommy Berry1954kg104
1056x5089x63BERKSHIRE SHADOW (GB)Ciaron MaherAshley Morgan853kg102
11218600×608LOCH EAGLEKris LeesJay Ford1852.5kg101
12609x740x15MAJOR BEEL (NZ)Gai Waterhouse & Adrian BottMs Winona Costin951.5kg102
131x20x766x1CHRYSAORChris WallerCraig Williams551.5kg99
141171x258x0MOLLY BLOOM (NZ)Chris WallerZac Lloyd (a)350.5kg101
15x70520x273ARCTIC GLAMOURGerald Ryan & Sterling AlexiouAndrew Adkins650kg99
16x1153403x1MCHALEChris WallerMs Rachel King1550kg99
170x616926x5AUSBRED FLIRTBrad Widdup250kg98
183343113×54KINTYREGary PortelliMs Cejay Graham750kg95
19x143030x11FIRESTORM (NZ)Chris WallerMark Du Plessis1350kg94
20x270552623GALERON (IRE)Annabel Neasham & Rob ArchibaldMs Alysha Collett450kg91
21e421414×951FLOATINGMatthew SmithReece Jones2050kg91

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

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