NEW ZEALAND'S FREE HANDICAP CHAMPIONS
The first table below lists all the leading horses (ie top-weighted male & female runners) in each category since 1980.
From 1980 until 1993 there were two Handicaps, one for two-year-olds and one for three-year-olds. In 1994 two sub-categories for three-year-olds, 1000m-1600m, and 1600m-plus were introduced. So listed here fom 1994 onwards are the top-weighted horses, from either category.
Only six horses have been top-weighted 2yo colt/gelding or filly, and then top-weighted 3yo of their sex in the next season:
- McGinty (1982 & 1983)
- Phillipa Rush (1989 & 1990)
- Our Maizcay (AUS) (1995 & 1996)
- Vinaka (2001 & 2002)
- Darci Brahma (2005 & 2006)
- Jokers Wild (2006 & 2007)
Of these, only Darci Brahma & Jokers Wild have been weighted outright Free Handicap champion 2yo and 3yo.
The second table lists the horses weighted on 60 kg or more since 1980.
The Free Handicaps are prepared at the end of each season for the NZTBA by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing’s Chief Handicapper.
| YEAR |
TWO-YEAR-OLDS Weight (kg)
|
THREE-YEAR-OLDS Weight (kg)
|
| 2009 |
The Heckler (Aus) (g) 58 Seven Schillings (f) 54.5 |
Harris Tweed 60 (1601+) Tell A Tale 59.5 (1200-1600) |
| 2008 |
Il Quello Veloce 58 Fully Fledged 57.5 |
Alamosa 62 Nom Du Jeu 61 |
| 2007 |
Nightlign 58 Crossyourheart 55.5 |
Jokers Wild 60 Princess Coup 58 |
|
2006
|
Jokers Wild 60 Chant 56.5
|
Darci Brahma 61 Legs 57 Seachange 57
|
|
2005
|
Darci Brahma 60.5 Mi Jubilee 59
|
Xcellent 60.5 Justa Tad 59.5
|
|
2004
|
Keeninsky 58.5 Iflooxcouldkill 57
|
King’s Chapel 61.5 Pay My Bail 58.5
|
|
2003
|
Maroofity 60 Katana 57
|
Hustler 57.5 Bramble Rose 57.5
|
|
2002
|
Grout 59 Danceinthesun 57
|
Vinaka 58.5 Final Destination 57
|
|
2001
|
Flying Babe 58 San Luis 57 Vinaka 57
|
Tit For Taat 60 Star Satire 57.5
|
|
2000
|
Spring Rain 56.5 Little Jamie 56
|
Buzz Lightyear 60.5 Ad Alta 59
|
|
1999
|
One Under 59 Quorum 57.5
|
Sunline 61.5 So Casual 59.5
|
|
1998
|
Alf 60 Happyanunoit 58 Zola 58
|
Tycoon Lil 61 Zonda 61
|
|
1997
|
Good Faith 58 Thriller 58
|
Great Command 60 Bubble 58
|
|
1996
|
Lodore Magic 57.5 Lord Ted 57.5
|
Our Maizcay (AUS) 60 Clear Rose 56.5 Alacrity 56.5 The Lions Roar 56.5
|
|
1995
|
Ballroom Babe 59 Our Maizcay (AUS) 58
|
Allegro 58.5 Tartan Tights 58.5
|
|
1994
|
Moonshine 58.5 Critical Point 56
|
Western Red 58.5 Snap 58.5
|
|
1993
|
Tristalove 60 Left Bank 56
|
The Phantom Chance 60 Lady Agnes 56.5
|
|
1992
|
Kaaptive Edition 58 Our Tristalight 56
|
Veandercross 59.5 Staring 56.5
|
|
1991
|
Prince of Praise 57.5 Super Natural 54
|
Surfer’s Paradise 60 Let’s Sgor 56
|
|
1990
|
Lycra 59 Lord Tridan 58.5
|
Castletown 58 Phillipa Rush 57.5
|
|
1989
|
Cordero 58.5 Phillipa Rush 58
|
The Gentry 59 Kate’s Myth 58
|
|
1988
|
Pompeii Pearl 59.5 Power Chief 57.5
|
Weston Lea 60 Candide 58.5
|
|
1987
|
Injustice 57.5 Noble Times 57
|
Tidal Light 60.5 The Bishop 58
|
|
1986
|
Precocious Lad 59.5 Scotch And Dry 55
|
Bonecrusher 63 Royal Heights 56.5
|
|
1985
|
Star Board 58.5 Ma Chiquita 57
|
Jolly Jake 58.5 Eastern Joy 57.5
|
|
1984
|
Vin d’Amour 59.5 Fothers 58
|
I’m Henry 60 Burletta 58.5
|
|
1983
|
Ebony Belle 57.5 Vite Cheval 56.5
|
Our Flight 60 McGinty 59
|
|
1982
|
McGinty 59.5 Beaufort Lass 56.5
|
Altitude 61.5 Noble Heights 56.5
|
|
1981
|
Scotch Reel 59 Tudor Sky 58
|
Ring The Bell 61 Glamour Bay 58
|
|
1980
|
Summer Haze 59 Paddy Boy 57.5
|
Little Brown Jug 61 Silver Nymph 59
|
BEST OF THE BEST
The horses given a weight of 60 kg or more on the NZ Free Handicaps since 1980 are a very select group of twenty-five.
Two decades after his superlative three-year-old season, Australian and New Zealand Horse of the Year Bonecrusher remains in a class of his own, with 63 kg.
Only four three-year-old fillies have received 60kg or more in the past 26 years: Sunline, Tycoon Lil, Tidal Light and Our Flight. All four were named New Zealand Horse of the Year at three.
Darci Brahma, given 60.5 kg in 2005, is the most impressive New Zealand two-year-old the handicapper has seen since 1980. Four other two-year-olds have received 60 kg, including the star juvenile of 2005-06, Jokers Wild.
According to the Free Handicap weights, the best two-year-old filly since 1980 has been Tristalove, allotted 60 kg in 1993.
|
WEIGHT (kg)
|
TWO-YEAR-OLDS Year weighted (f) = filly
|
THREE-YEAR-OLDS Year weighted (f) = filly
|
|
63
|
|
BONECRUSHER 1986
|
|
62.5
|
|
|
|
62
|
|
ALAMOSA 2008
|
|
61.5
|
|
KING’S CHAPEL 2004 SUNLINE (f) 1999 ALTITUDE 1982
|
|
61
|
|
NOM DU JEU 2008 DARCI BRAHMA 2006 TYCOON LIL (f) 1998 ZONDA 1998 RING THE BELL 1981 LITTLE BROWN JUG 1980
|
|
60.5
|
DARCI BRAHMA 2005
|
C'EST LA GUERRE 2008 XCELLENT 2005 BUZZ LIGHTYEAR 1999 TIDAL LIGHT (f) 1987
|
|
60
|
JOKERS WILD 2006 MAROOFITY 2003 ALF 1998 TRISTALOVE (f) 1993
|
HARRIS TWEED 2009 JOKERS WILD 2007 TIT FOR TAAT 2001 GREAT COMMAND 1997 OUR MAIZCAY 1996 THE PHANTOM CHANCE 1993 SURFER’S PARADISE 1991 WESTON LEA 1988 I’M HENRY 1984 OUR FLIGHT (f) 1983
|