Aurie’s Star Handicap

The Aurie's Star Handicap is a Group 3 event held at Flemington Racecourse in early August.

2023 Aurie's Star Handicap Results

  • 1st: #4 It'sourtime
  • 2nd: #9 Umgawa
  • 3rd: #6 Chassis



The Aurie’s Star Handicap is a Group 3 sprint hosted at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne every year around early August. Run over 1200m under open handicap conditions, the Aurie’s Star Handicap pays a total of $200,000 prize money.

The Aurie’s Star Handicap is one of the first group races of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival, and as a result tends to attract punting attention in excess of its status. Keep a close eye on the Aurie’s Star Handicap results, as they can provide a good indicator for later form in Group 1 races including the Manikato Stakes at The Valley that the 2017 Aurie’s Star winner Hey Doc went onto win.

More recently the 2019 Aurie’s Star Handicap winner So Si Bon, who won at 20/1, went on to run second next start in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m).

The form of the Aurie’s Star was also franked in 2021 with the winner The Astrologist going on to place second in the following year’s Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) back at the track in the autumn, as well as record a third in Adelaide’s Group 1 The Goodwood (1200m) later in 2022.

The Aurie’s Star Handicap 2023 ran on Saturday August 5, 2023 as the opening Group race in Melbourne for the season and was won by the Danny O’Brien-trained favourite It’sourtime ($3.90F). 

Aurie’s Star Handicap
Date: Saturday August 5, 2023
Track: Flemington Racecourse
Distance: 1200m
Race Type: Open Handicap
Status: Group 3
Prize Money: $200,000

2022 Aurie’s Star Handicap Results

  • 1st: #4 It’sourtime ($3.90F)
  • 2nd: #9 Uymgawa
  • 3rd: #6 Chassis

Danny O’Brien’s Flemington specialist It’sourtime ($3.90F) produced a brilliant late sweeping run right down the outside to come from last at the 300m to first in the 2023 Aurie’s Star Handicap results when saluting for the punters at Headquarters.

Finish No. Horse Trainer Jockey Margin Bar. Weight Penalty Starting Price
1 4 IT’SOURTIME Danny O’Brien Michael Dee 8 55.5kg $3.90F
2 9 UMGAWA Leon & Troy Corstens Harry Coffey 0.4L 9 54kg $31
3 6 CHASSIS Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Dean Yendall 0.8L 10 54kg $21
4 2 GENERAL BEAU Mathew Ellerton Damian Lane 1.8L 5 57kg $4.80
5 7 MUCH MUCH BETTER Sara Ryan Jye McNeil 2.2L 6 54kg $7
6 5 ZETHUS James Cummings Blake Shinn 2.4L 7 55.5kg $10
7 11 CAUSE FOR CONCERN Shawn Mathrick Craig Williams 2.5L 1 54kg $4.40
8 3 HERE TO SHOCK (NZ) Ben, Will & JD Hayes Daniel Stackhouse 4.25L 2 57kg $10
9 8 DANCE TO DUBAI Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman Ms Carleen Hefel (a) 5L 4 54kg $19
10 10 MR EXCLUSIVE Matthew Brown Beau Mertens 13L 3 54kg $41
1 INGRATIATING James Cummings Ben Melham 0

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2023 Aurie’s Star Handicap Betting Odds

Betting on the Aurie’s Star Handicap 2023 opens as soon as nominations are out the Monday of race week, the latest Aurie’s Star Handicap betting odds to be published below complete with market links to Ladbrokes.com.au.

It’sourtime ($3.90 in 2023) was the last favourite in Aurie’s Star Handicap betting to salute for the punters.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST 2023 AURIE’S STAR HANDICAP ODDS (Final Field)

2023 Aurie’s Star Handicap Form

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2023 AURIE’S STAR HANDICAP FORM GUIDE

2023 Aurie’s Star Handicap Tips

Stay tuned for our insider Aurie’s Star Handicap 2023 Tips on the popular spring lead-up sprint at Flemington this season.

  • To Win: #11 Cause For Concern ($3.50 at time of publish) – BET NOW

An open edition of the Aurie’s Star and, while there is a few representing a touch more value, hard to ignore the form down the famous straight of the current favourite who still looks backable at around $3.50 in betting. Craig Williams rides the four-year-old from the inside alley with Cause For Concern looking to add to his strong strike-rate at Headquarters (3:2-1-0). Listed Creswick Stakes second with 58kg two back before winning here in mid-July in a 3YOs handicap with 56kg over the 1400m. First run as a 4YO getting weight relief in on 54kg and looks rock hard fit.

2023 Aurie’s Star Handicap Field

Many horses come into the Aurie’s Star Handicap field off the winter lead-up races held in Melbourne including the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield in mid-July and the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) a fortnight later.

In 2018 Voodoo Lad won the Sir John Monash Stakes – Aurie’s Star Handicap double and finished runner-up in Caulfield’s Bletchingly Stakes in between. The Astrologist (3rd in 2021) was the last Bletchingly Stakes graduate to back-up and win the Aurie’s Star Handicap.

More recently It’sourtime (2023) ran third in the Bletchingly Stakes before winning the Aurie’s Star.

The 2023 Aurie’s Star Handicap field and barriers are announced the Wednesday of race week and the full list of acceptances will be available below once released.

The Aurie’s Star Handicap 2023 final field features a quality line-up of sprinters including Cause For Concern with the inside run from barrier one, the Matthew Ellerton-trained Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes runner-up General Beau and It’sourtime coming off a third in the same key lead-up.

Click here to read more on the key runners in the Aurie’s Star Handicap 2023 field and betting markets.

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Probable Weight Penalty Hcp Rating
1 73x1200x51 INGRATIATING James Cummings 3 59kg 102
2 x49x530232 GENERAL BEAU Mathew Ellerton Damian Lane 6 57kg 98
3 417x26111x HERE TO SHOCK (NZ) Ben, Will & JD Hayes Daniel Stackhouse 2 57kg 98
4 2x2x241423 IT’SOURTIME Danny O’Brien Michael Dee 9 55.5kg 95
5 36147×5436 ZETHUS James Cummings Blake Shinn 8 55.5kg 95
6 60455×8114 CHASSIS Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Dean Yendall 11 54kg 92
7 6x06441x22 MUCH MUCH BETTER Sara Ryan Jye McNeil 7 54kg 92
8 x93119x591 DANCE TO DUBAI Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman Ms Carleen Hefel (a) 5 54kg 89
9 x17447x664 UMGAWA Leon & Troy Corstens Harry Coffey 10 54kg 86
10 305327×463 MR EXCLUSIVE Matthew Brown Beau Mertens 4 54kg 83
11 13×451121 CAUSE FOR CONCERN Shawn Mathrick Craig Williams 1 54kg 79

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

2023 Aurie’s Star Handicap Nominations

The early Aurie’s Star Handicap 2023 nominations are taken by the VRC on the Monday of race week with the full list of entries to be announced below.

Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Ballot Weight True Weight Penalty Hcp Rating
1 2113x570x0 FLYING MASCOT (NZ) M 6 Tom Dabernig 1 57.5kg 57.5kg 103
2 73x1200x51 INGRATIATING H 5 James Cummings 2 59kg 59kg 102
3 146x11117x I AM ME M 5 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 3 57kg 57kg 102
4 x49x530232 GENERAL BEAU H 5 Mathew Ellerton 4 57kg 57kg 98
5 417x26111x HERE TO SHOCK (NZ) G 6 Ben, Will & JD Hayes 5 57kg 57kg 98
6 36147×5436 ZETHUS G 5 James Cummings 6 55.5kg 55.5kg 95
7 2x2x241423 IT’SOURTIME G 6 Danny O’Brien 7 55.5kg 55.5kg 95
8 9x69260x85 REGARDSMAREE G 7 Nick Ryan 8 54.5kg 54.5kg 93
9 6x06441x22 MUCH MUCH BETTER G 6 Sara Ryan 9 54kg 54kg 92
10 60455×8114 CHASSIS M 7 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 10 54kg 52kg 92
11 x93119x591 DANCE TO DUBAI M 6 Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman 11 54kg 50.5kg 89
12 311113x BENEDETTA M 4 Jason Warren 12 54kg 50kg 88
13 x17447x664 UMGAWA G 5 Leon & Troy Corstens 13 54kg 51kg 86
14 x0066557x2 OCEAN BEYOND (NZ) G 6 Andrew Bobbin 14 54kg 50kg 84
15 2928×60467 SARTORIAL SPLENDOR G 7 John Sadler 15 54kg 49.5kg 83
16 305327×463 MR EXCLUSIVE G 8 Matthew Brown 16 54kg 49.5kg 83
17 211x22312x BELLE ET RICHE M 5 Mitchell Freedman 17 54kg 47kg 82
18 106x9998x5 RANTING (NZ) G 6 Nick Ryan 18 54kg 48.5kg 81
19 x332589x54 PIONEER RIVER G 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 19 54kg 48kg 80
20 13×451121 CAUSE FOR CONCERN G 4 Shawn Mathrick 20 54kg 47.5kg 79
21 1x00x453Fx MAXIMILLIUS G 4 Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) 21 54kg 47kg 78
22 38756369×3 WILLIAM THOMAS G 9 John Price 22 54kg 47kg 78

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Aurie’s Star Handicap History

The Aurie’s Star Handicap was inaugurated in 1996 as an unlisted event, with Homestead taking out the first edition of the race. In 2005, the Aurie’s Star Handicap was upgraded to a listed event and given a boost in prize money. In 2010, it was ran as a Group 3 event, however was downgraded to listed status for the 2011 edition. In 2012, the Aurie’s Star Handicap was again upgraded to Group 3 and has remained at that status since.

The Aurie’s Star Handicap was held for a year at Moonee Valley Racecourse in 2007, but is now certainly a Flemington race. Although the Aurie’s Star Handicap only has a brief history, it has played an important role in the preparation of many sprinters for the spring campaigns.

In 2020 jockey Damien Oliver won the Aurie’s Star Handicap for a record fifth time taking out the race aboard Home Of The Brave who, in 2018, ran second to the Oliver-ridden winner Voodoo Lad when debuting down under.

Notable Aurie’s Star Handicap winners include Homestead (1996), Fields Of Omagh (2002), Sports (2003), Temple Of Boom (2011) and Voodoo Lad (2018) who went on to win Perth’s Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) later in the year.

Aurie’s Star Handicap Results

Year Place Horse Time
2023
Aurie’s Star Handicap
1st It’sourtime 1 minute 08.68 seconds
2nd Umgawa
3rd Chassis
2022
Aurie’s Star Handicap
1st Sirius Suspect 1 minute 09.97 seconds
2nd Stageman
3rd Shooting For Gold
2021
Aurie’s Star Handicap
1st The Astrologist 1 minute 10.50 seconds
2nd Romancer
3rd Too Good Too Hard
2020
Aurie’s Star Handicap
1st Home Of The Brave 1 minute 10.58 seconds
2nd Great Again
3rd Game Keeper
2019
Aurie’s Star Handicap
1st So Si Bon 1 minute 11.07 seconds
2nd Malibu Style
3rd Sesar
2018
Aurie’s Star Handicap
1st Voodoo Lad 1 minute 9.64 seconds
2nd Home Of The Brave
3rd Brave Song
2017
Aurie’s Star Handicap
1st Hey Doc 1 minute 9.9 seconds
2nd Cannyescent
3rd Grande Rosso
2016
Aurie’s Star Handicap
1st Sooboog 1 minute 10 seconds
2nd Dibayani
3rd Tashbeeh
2015
Aurie’s Star Handicap
1st Shiraz 1 minute 09.4 seconds
2nd Play Master
3rd Le Bonsir
2014
Aurie’s Star Handicap
1st Tiger Tees 1 minute 09.9 seconds
2nd Mr Chard
3rd Zamorar
2013
Aurie’s Star Handicap
1st Broken 1 minute 12.5 seconds
2nd Temple Of Boom
3rd Cavallo Nero
2012
Aurie’s Star Handicap
1st Shanghai Warrior 1 minute 11.4 seconds
2nd Golden Archer
3rd Zamorar
2011
Aurie’s Star Handicap
1st Temple Of Boom 1 minute 10.7 seconds
2nd Rekindled Interest
3rd Offenders
2010
Aurie’s Star Handicap
1st Elusive Touch 1 minute 11.1 seconds
2nd Leica Larrikin
3rd Beltrois
2009
Aurie’s Star Handicap
1st Mic Mac 1 minute 09.7 seconds
2nd All American
3rd El Segundo
2008
Aurie’s Star Handicap
1st Grand Duels 1 minute 10.5 seconds
2nd Stavka
3rd Valedictum
2007
Aurie’s Star Handicap
1st Monet Rules 1 minute 12.0 seconds
2nd Orange County
3rd El Segundo
2006
Aurie’s Star Handicap
1st Bel Danoro 1 minute 09.9 seconds
2nd El Segundo
3rd Apache Cat
2005
Aurie’s Star Handicap
1st Niconero 1 minute 02.8 seconds
2nd Valedictum
3rd Tszyu
2004
Aurie’s Star Handicap
1st General Bayton 1 minute 11.2 seconds
2nd Deprave
3rd Via De Lago
2003
Aurie’s Star Handicap
1st Sports 1 minute 10.2 seconds
2nd Naden
3rd Prince Rubiton
2002
Aurie’s Star Handicap
1st Fields Of Omagh 1 minute 09.4 seconds
2nd Pindi Ridge
3rd Gypsy Lad
2001
Aurie’s Star Handicap
1st Sound The Alarm 1 minute 08.9 seconds
2nd Slalom
3rd Le Zagaletta
2000
Aurie’s Star Handicap
1st Roktzar 1 minute 10.8 seconds
2nd Le Zagaletta
3rd Mystic Morse

Spring Racing

Military Mission Fires in 2023...

Zipping Classic 2023 Field �...

Zipping Classic 2023 Field & Odds Update: Vow And Declare Defends Title

Danny O’Brien’s 2019 Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare continues to show a...

Overpass Heads 2023 Winterbott...

Overpass Heads 2023 Winterbottom Stakes Field & Betting Markets

Bjron Baker’s The Everest performer Overpass is tipped to return to winning...

Osipenko Leads The Gong 2023 R...

Osipenko Leads The Gong 2023 Race Field & Betting

The Chris Waller-trained Pierro four-year-old Osipenko is firm favourite in...

2023 Railway Stakes Field ...

2023 Railway Stakes Field & Betting Update: Tuvalu Narrow Favourite

The Lindsey Smith-trained top-weight Tuvalu is narrow favourite in the latest...

Horse Racing Today

2024 Coolmore Classic Winner Z...

2024 All-Star Mile Results: Pr...

2024 All-Star Mile Results: Pride Of Jenni Beats Mr Brightside by 2 Lengths

Pride Of Jenni was enormous running her rivals ragged with a blistering...

2024 Pago Pago Stakes Results:...

2024 Pago Pago Stakes Results: McEvoy’s Dublin Down on Golden Slipper Bid

Dublin Down is into Saturday week’s 2024 Golden Slipper field after a gutsy...

Magic Night Winner Drifting Fi...

Magic Night Winner Drifting Firms in Golden Slipper 2024 Betting

Drifting did plenty right to win the 2024 Magic Night Stakes at Rosehill on...

Randwick Guineas 2024 Results:...

Randwick Guineas 2024 Results: Celestial Legend Nudges out Militarize on the Line

Celestial Legend put the writing on the wall for a huge year ahead with the...

Race Results

2024 Coolmore Classic Winner Zougotcha Dives Late to Salute

2024 All-Star Mile Results: Pride Of Jenni Beats Mr Brightside by 2 Lengths

2024 Pago Pago Stakes Results: McEvoy’s Dublin Down on Golden Slipper Bid

Randwick Guineas 2024 Results: Celestial Legend Nudges out Militarize on the Line

2024 Canterbury Stakes Results: Lady Laguna Upsets Think About It, Espiona Third

Race Previews

2024 Golden Slipper Stakes Field & Barriers: Storm Boy Draws Two

Magic Night Winner Drifting Firms in Golden Slipper 2024 Betting

Zougotcha Heads 2024 Coolmore Classic Field & Odds

2024 All-Star Mile Field & Betting Update: Mr Brightside Odds-On

2024 Adelaide Cup Field & Betting Update: The Map Leads the Way

Fields & Form

2024 Golden Slipper Stakes Field & Barriers: Storm Boy Draws Two

Zougotcha Heads 2024 Coolmore Classic Field & Odds

2024 All-Star Mile Field & Betting Update: Mr Brightside Odds-On

2024 Adelaide Cup Field & Betting Update: The Map Leads the Way

2024 Randwick Guineas Field & Odds Update: Militarize Set to Strike Second-Up