A capacity field has been confirmed for Saturday’s featured Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Royal Randwick and we are set for an outstanding contest between some of the country’s best milers.
Oaks winners Unforgotten has returned to the track in slick form this time and has opened the $4.50 favourite in 2018 Epsom Handicap betting.
The Fastnet Rock mare enjoyed a meteoric rise to prominence through this year’s Autumn Carnival and responded to a lacklustre first-up run in the Group 1 Surround Stakes (1400m) by winning the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) a fortnight later.
She only continued to improve as she got out in trip and finished second to a runaway Hiyaam in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m), before taking out the Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) with complete ease during The Championships.
She worked home from the tail of the field well to finish sixth behind her stable mate in the Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m) first-up this time, before delivering a talented field a comfortable defeat in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) last time out.
Trainer Chris Waller has kept the mare fit by trialling her in the lead-up to this race and she’ll be given every opportunity by Kerrin McEvoy from gate 3, and with only 52.5kgs in tow.
Waller will saddle a total of seven horses in the Epsom Handicap field but D’Argento ($4.40) and Shillelagh ($19) probably represent his best two chances, other than Unforgotten.
D’Argento was another horse that really rose to prominence in autumn, and he won the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) most notably before ending his season fourth in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile at this track and distance.
The talented grey resumed this time for fourth in the Winx Stakes and was last seen finishing second in the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) on a heavy track, behind Home Of The Brave.
He’ll enjoy a return to good going on Saturday and with only 53.5kgs in tow, and James McDonald in the saddle, he could be the horse to beat.
Shillelagh won the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) last spring and has continued to produce decent performances throughout 2018.
The Savabeel mare ended her winter preparation second in the Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara (1350m) in Brisbane and is sure to have taken plenty of benefit from her first-up run for fourth in the Theo Marks Stakes this time.
There is a case to be made for nearly every runner in Epsom Handicap betting, but three that are worth consideration at the veteran Hartnell ($20), talented four-year-old Pierata ($5) and import Invictus Prince ($41).
Hartnell is a multiple Group 1 winner and resumed this time for a close-up second in the Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m), before tailing off to finish fourth in the Group 2 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m).
The horse has turned in a flat second-up performance several times throughout his career and even with topweight, he cannot be written off with Hugh Bowman in the saddle.
Pierata has continued to improve with racing and he resumed this time for an impressive win in the Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m), before running second in the Group 3 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m) a fortnight ago.
Invictus Prince left his run too late when fifth in the Bill Ritchie Handicap last time out, but he ran strong second behind Winx first-up and obviously with a repeat of that effort, he’ll be fighting out the finish on Saturday.