Newmarket Handicap Tips, Best Bets, Odds, Field & More 2026

Many consider the Newmarket Handicap as one of the biggest Group One races, especially during Melbourne’s Autumn Racing Carnival. The $1.5 million in prize money that’s on the line always brings some of the best runners to Flemington Racecourse. The race is run over a distance of 1,200m and is one of the few sprint races in Melbourne during Autumn.

Best Newmarket Handicap Betting Sites

Before we get stuck into everything you should know about the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas, here are some quick facts you should be across:

The Newmarket Handicap is one of the most famous Group One races to be held at Flemington Racecourse each year, probably second behind the biggest race of them all, the Melbourne Cup. The race is run under handicap conditions and is for sprinters, as it is contested over a distance of 1,200m.

By the time the Newmarket Handicap rolls around each year, the Autumn Racing Carnival in Melbourne is in full swing. Along with the Newmarket Handicap, the All-Star Mile is also raced on the same day at Flemington Racecourse, so there is certainly a lot to look forward to on this Saturday.

With a cool $1.5 million on the line and the prestige of winning a Group One race, we always see some of the best sprinters head to Flemington Racecourse to contest the Newmarket Handicap. First run back in 1874, the Newmarket Handicap has a long and rich history here in Australia.

Maid Of Avenel was the inaugural winner of the Newmarket Handicap, and we have seen some of the best racehorses win this race over the years, including the likes of Wakeful, Ajax, Black Caviar, Takeover Target and more. In 2017 and 2018, Redkirk Warrior became the fifth horse in this race’s history to win it on multiple occasions.

Other multiple winners of the Newmarket Handicap include: Aspen, Gothic, Correct and Razor Sharp. In 2007, the location of the Newmarket Handicap was changed from Flemington Racecourse to Caulfield Racecourse due to renovations taking place at Flemington.

If you’re looking for some free Newmarket Handicap tips, then you’ve certainly come to the right place. The team at Australianbettingsites.net.au provide horse racing tips and best bets for some of the biggest races on the calendar, including the Newmarket Handicap. We also provide Melbourne Cup tips, Victoria Derby tips and more.

We do more than cover the major races as well. You will find daily horse racing tips on our website, plus extra tips for Saturday’s racing, as this is the biggest day of the week for racing. We have tips coming out of our ears, so make sure we are your one-stop shop for all your free horse racing tips!

Along with racing tips, we want to provide some tips and tricks to help make your Newmarket Handicap betting experience a more enjoyable one:

• In-Form Jockeys/ Trainers - While a lot of the focus tends to be on the racehorse, it is also a good idea to check out jockeys and trainers who are in good form. Also, some trainers like to pair up with a specific jockey, and they might have a profitable relationship, so look for that as well.
• Runner Track/ Trip Success - For major races like the Newmarket Handicap, each runner is likely to have previous experience at the Flemington track and over the 1,200m distance. Look into their record over this track and trip and use it as one of the indicators on how well they could potentially run in the Newmarket Handicap.
• Recent Runner Results - Look for runners that are coming into the Newmarket Handicap in some sort of form. Along with recent results, you should look at the quality of the runner’s previous races. There are a few ideal lead-up races for the Newmarket Handicap you should check out.
• Value Odds - To get more bang for your buck, we recommend taking the time to shop around and lock in the best odds possible. Different betting sites may offer different odds for the same runner, so it’s an easy way to increase your potential payout (as long as your bet is successful).

All it takes is one quick look online, and you’ll see just how many horse racing betting sites are available in Australia. If you’re in the market for new betting sites, don’t just jump on the first one you see; it’s a good idea to do some research to find the best one for you. Also, you can have an account with more than one bookie, which helps you get some more variety.

There are so many betting markets to choose from for the Newmarket Handicap. You can stick with what you know, but if you’re ready to expand your horizons, it’s important to have a complete understanding of what’s involved, so you don’t waste your hard-earned cash.

We go through some of the most popular Newmarket Handicap bet types here:

Each year, we see a high-quality field confirmed for the Newmarket Handicap. With $1.5 million in prize money on the line, we see some of the best head to Flemington Racecourse. The final field and barrier draw is confirmed a couple of days before the race is due to take place.

Once the final field is confirmed, this is the best time to go through the form guide. You can see recent results of all the confirmed runners for the Newmarket Handicap. Also, you should look into key form indicators, as this can unveil patterns and potentially point you in the direction of a winning bet.

The Newmarket Handicap always features some of the best racehorses, and you can see all the runners that took part in the latest edition here:

Finding the best odds for the Newmarket Handicap can be quite beneficial, and it doesn’t really take that much work either. If you’re sticking with just one bookie, you are potentially missing out on better odds and therefore a higher payout if your bet ends up being a winner.

You may have already noticed that different bookies sometimes offer a different price for the same runner/ market. Sometimes the difference can be fairly significant, especially for roughies. These differences in odds can really add up over time, so if you have some extra time, you should certainly do some shopping around. 

Using an odds comparison tool can be really helpful when searching for the best odds. It can speed up the process because you can see the fixed win (and potentially place) odds across multiple different bookies, all on the one page. They might not have all the bookies you’re looking for, though, so this is where manual work comes in.

Coupled with an odds comparison tool, the manual work shouldn’t take too long. But make sure you leave yourself at least 10 minutes before the Newmarket Handicap, so you can take a proper look around. It’s also a good idea to start with the bookies that have a reputation for offering competitive odds.

It was a race for all those favourite bettors out there, with the pre-race favourite, Joliestar, getting the chocolates. The Chris Waller-trained mare jumped from barrier eight and ended up finishing 1.3L ahead of the pack. Headwall, who was ridden by Harry Coffey, finished in second place and was paying $14 to take out the win.

Wrapping up the final minor placings was Stretan Angel. The mare jumped from barrier seven and ended up 2.8L off Joliestar. In the end, the Newmarket Handicap was run in a time of 1:08.75, and there was a total of 8.5L that split the first and last runners across the finishing post.

See where each runner finished in the Newmarket Handicap right here:

If you missed the race live, or just want to relive the action, you can check out the Newmarket Handicap replay here:

Some of the best 3YOs have won the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas, and we take a look at the recent history of winners here:

We are here to lend a helping hand if you still have some questions about the Newmarket Handicap. As one of the biggest races of the year, people have a lot of questions about the race, and we have tried to answer all the most popular ones in this section.