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
|