Standish Handicap

The 2015 Standish Handicap is a Group 3 event which is fast becoming a real standout on the Melbourne Calendar. The race itself may not be as prestigious as many others at Flemington however its spot on New Year’s Day gives it a real point of difference.

The Standish Handicap is an open handicap run over 1200m. It’s held down the famous Flemington straight, one of the best sights in Australian racing. The distance was dropped back to 1100m in 2006 but was increased to normal the very next year.

The Standish Handicap is worth $150,000 in prize money and attracts a handy field.

While the very best sprinters are unlikely to still be in work at the start of the new year there’s usually still a few nice types kicking around.

Over the last few decades no horse has won the Standish Handicap back to back but some horses have won it twice.

Grandiose won the race in both 1989 and in 1991.

Super Impressive won in 2003, finished third in 2004 and then won again in 2005.

Hon Kwok Star was a close second in 1997 before returning to win in 1998, the next year he was in the mix again finishing third.

Of the more notable recent winners Royal Ida put in a good run to win in 2010 but the race record easily belongs to Honalee in 2006.

2015 Standish Handicap Field

The final Standish Handicap field is usually released on the Wednesday prior to the race. As a 1200m handicap, the Standish Handicap field usually contains a fairly decent selection of experienced sprinters. Quite a few of Melbourne’s better sprinters in work at that time of the year enter the Standish Handicap field.

The 2015 Standish Handicap field is provided below.

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Hcp Rating
1 64532610×1 REPARATIONS Lee & Anthony Freedman Dwayne Dunn 2 59kg 102
2 x1x9034x66 AERONAUTICAL Lionel Cohen Damien Oliver 11 58.5kg 101
3 11211×6687 AMORINO Archie Alexander Steven Arnold 1 58kg 100
4 350x24055x BLACKIE (NZ) Jarrod McLean Nicholas Hall 7 57.5kg 99
5 0x21144x42 LORD OF THE SKY Robbie Laing Noel Callow 4 57.5kg 99
6 2x207xD041 WHITLAM Danielle Wilson Darren Gauci 3 55.5kg 95
7 4x410x0029 OFFICE BEARER Peter G Moody Vlad Duric 8 55kg 94
8 x224152726 SOLSAY Michael Kent Ms Jackie Beriman (a) 6 54kg 92
9 3135573×08 DECIRCLES Danny O’Brien Stephen Baster 10 54kg 90
10 x8770x909x FUTURE SOLUTION Kane Harris Glen Boss 9 54kg 86
11 x7585x0084 MISTER MILTON Norman Waymouth Craig Williams 5 54kg 84

2015 Standish Handicap Nominations

The Standish Handicap nominations are usually announced on the Monday prior to the race. Quite a few talented types end up in the Standish Handicap nominations, as it is one of the few group level targets held in Flemington around that time of year.

The 2015 Standish Handicap nominations are published here.

# Horse Trainer Ballot Weight Hcp Rating
1 REPARATIONS Lee & Anthony Freedman 1 59kg 102
2 AERONAUTICAL Lionel Cohen 2 58.5kg 101
3 AMORINO Archie Alexander 3 58kg 100
4 LORD OF THE SKY Robbie Laing 4 57.5kg 99
5 BLACKIE (NZ) Jarrod McLean 5 57.5kg 99
6 WHITLAM Danielle Wilson 6 55.5kg 95
7 OFFICE BEARER Peter G Moody 7 55kg 94
8 SOLSAY Michael Kent 8 54kg 92
9 THE THIEF Stephen Brown 9 54kg 90
10 DECIRCLES Danny O’Brien 10 54kg 90
11 THERMAL CURRENT Peter G Moody 11 54kg 89
12 FUTURE SOLUTION Kane Harris 12 54kg 86
13 THE QUARTERBACK Robbie Griffiths 13 54kg 85
14 MISTER MILTON Norman Waymouth 14 54kg 84
15 MANNOPOLY Symon Wilde 15 54kg 84
16 PETRIFY Amy Johnston 16 54kg 81
17 BOOMWAA Robbie Laing 17 54kg 78
18 SEARCH SQUAD (NZ) Doug Harrison 18 54kg 76
19 SCARLET BILLOWS Darren Weir 19 54kg 73

Standish Handicap Results

The Standish Handicap winners, place getters and winning times since 2000 are listed below.

Year Results Winning Time
2017 1 TBD 2 TBD 3 TBD  TBD
2016 1 Durendal 2 Zupacharged 3 Churchill Dancer  1:09.4
2015 1 Decircles 2 Lord Of The Sky 3 Reparations  1:09.1
2014 1 Flamberge 2 Essay Raider 3 Decircles  1:09.9
2013 1 Adamantium 2 Catapulted 3 Goldstone  1:08.2
2012 1 Catapulted =2 Rocking Force =2 Cascabel  1:07.6
2011 1 Ahdashim 2 Chasm 3 Eclair Mystic  1:09.1
2010 1 Royal Ida 2 Beltrois 3 Juggle The Books  1:11.1
2009 1 King Hoaks 2 Bowhunter 3 Orbit Express  1:10.3
2008 1 Publishing 2 Eskaw 3 Pencelaron  1:09.3
2007 1 Watchyerback 2 Murray Downs 3 Cocinero  1:09.0
2006 1 Honalee 2 Gold Wells 3 Starhere  1:03.4
2005 1 Super Impressive 2 Blessum 3 Savage Attack  1:09.8
2004 1 Blessum 2 Monahan Tweed 3 Super Impressive  1:09.2
2003 1 Super Impressive 2 Confederate Kid 3 The Expat  1:10.3
2002 1 Lets Planet 2 Chattanooga 3 Generalissimo  1:09.7
2001 1 Iglesia 2 Sedation 3 Major  1:07.1
2000 1 Upright 2 Rain Dance Lady 3 Bush Outlaw  1:09.6

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