Bill Ritchie Handicap
Australia | FEATURE RACE GUIDE
History
The Bill Ritchie Handicap is a Group 3 race run under Quality Handicap conditions for open class horses at Randwick conducted by the Australian Turf Club.
The Bill Ritchie Handicap is run over 1400m. It was first run in 1978 and was won by Go Mod.
The Bill Ritchie Handicap has been run at Rosehill, Warwick Farm and Randwick where it has been since 2012.
The Bill Ritchie Handicap has always been run over 1400m. It was a Listed race until 1997 then Group 3 after that.
This is a traditional handicap lead up to the Epsom Handicap.
The race was run for many years but not at black type level and not under this name.
Steps In Time, Judged, Probabeel and Atishu are the only mares to win in the last 20 years.
Boban, Kolding, Probabeel, Top Ranked and Rediener are the only horses to do the Bill Ritchie/Epsom Handicap double.
In 2019 Kolding would win the G1 Epsom and inaugural Golden Eagle his next two starts while Fierce Impact took the G1 Toorak and G1 Cantala his next couple.
The 2007 race was not held due to the Equine Influenza break out.
The Bill Ritchie Handicap was worth $250,000 in 2024. The winner is exempt from Epsom Hcp ballot.
Notable winners of the Bill Ritchie Handicap include Rediener (2023), Top Ranked (2022), Probabeel (2020), Kolding (2019), Comin' Through (2017), Manawanui (2014), Boban (2013), Steps In Time (2012), Zabarra (2002/2003), Landsighting (2000), Bezeal Bay (1998), Holy Roller (1997), Monopolize (1995), Rouslan (1994), Prince Of Praise (1992), Our Poverty Bay (1990), Dinky Flyer (1985) and Leica Planet (1983).
The 2024 Bill Ritchie Handicap was won by McHale from Gringotts and Felix Majestic.
Previous Bill Ritchie Handicap Winners
| Date | Horse | Jockey | WT | Trainer | BP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
MCHALE
(AUS)
4G SHOOTING TO WIN (AUS) - XAAR'S JEWEL (AUS) XAAR (GB) |
RACHEL KING | 53.0 | CHRIS WALLER | 4 |
|
|
REDIENER
(AUS)
4G REDOUTE'S CHOICE (AUS) - WIENER (AUS) MORE THAN READY (USA) |
MS K O'HARA | 53.0 | CHRIS WALLER | 2 |
|
|
TOP RANKED
(IRE)
6H DARK ANGEL (IRE) - COUNTESS FERRAMA (GB) AUTHORIZED (IRE) |
HUGH BOWMAN | 59.5 | ANNABEL NEASHAM | 1 |
|
|
ATISHU
(NZ)
4M SAVABEEL (AUS) - POSY (NZ) NO EXCUSE NEEDED (GB) |
TIM CLARK | 53.5 | CHRIS WALLER | 3 |
|
|
PROBABEEL
(NZ)
4M SAVABEEL (AUS) - FAR FETCHED (NZ) PINS (AUS) |
K MCEVOY | 57.0 | JAMIE RICHARDS | 2 |
|
|
KOLDING
(NZ)
4G OCEAN PARK (NZ) - MAGIC STAR (AUS) DANZERO (AUS) |
G BOSS | 57.0 | CHRIS WALLER | 9 |
|
|
SIEGE OF QUEBEC
(AUS)
4H FASTNET ROCK (AUS) - ROSE OF CIMMARON (AUS) BITE THE BULLET (USA) |
TIM CLARK | 53.5 | G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT | 3 |
|
|
COMIN' THROUGH
(AUS)
4G FASTNET ROCK (AUS) - MICA'S PRIDE (AUS) BITE THE BULLET (USA) |
M J WALKER | 53.0 | CHRIS WALLER | 6 |
|
|
SONS OF JOHN
(AUS)
6G ORATORIO (IRE) - MOUNTAIN ECHO (AUS) SCENIC (IRE) |
B SHINN | 55.0 | JASON ATTARD | 4 |
|
|
SADLER'S LAKE
(AUS)
4G HIGH CHAPARRAL (IRE) - MINGSHAN (AUS) ENCOSTA DE LAGO (AUS) |
J CASSIDY | 54.0 | CHRIS WALLER | 1 |
|
|
MANAWANUI
(AUS)
6G ORATORIO (IRE) - LADY REMLAP (AUS) FILANTE (NZ) |
T ANGLAND | 58.0 | R T LEEMON | 2 |
|
|
BOBAN
(AUS)
4G BERNARDINI (USA) - KENBELLE (AUS) KENMARE (FR) |
G SCHOFIELD | 54.5 | CHRIS WALLER | 1 |
|
|
STEPS IN TIME
(AUS)
5M DANEHILL DANCER (IRE) - RARE INSIGHT (NZ) O'REILLY (NZ) |
J CASSIDY | 57.0 | JOHN O'SHEA | 4 |
|
|
THANKGODYOU'REHERE
(AUS)
6G SECRET SAVINGS (USA) - WINIFRED'S PRAYER (AUS) TIERCE (AUS) |
R M QUINN | 56.0 | PATRICK & WAYNE WEBSTER | 1 |
|
|
DRUMBEATS
(AUS)
5H REDOUTE'S CHOICE (AUS) - DELICATE CHOICE (AUS) LAST TYCOON (IRE) |
C W BROWN | 55.0 | PETER SNOWDEN | 4 |
|
|
MCCLINTOCK
(AUS)
5G KING CUGAT (USA) - SHE'S SWEET (AUS) DANZERO (AUS) |
G SCHOFIELD | 56.0 | MARK DE MONTFORT | 13 |
|
|
JUDGED
(AUS)
5M HIGH YIELD (USA) - ADJOURN (AUS) WAAJIB (IRE) |
C W BROWN | 53.5 | JOSEPH PRIDE | 7 |
|
|
COALESCE
(NZ)
6G ZABEEL (NZ) - ESSYLT (GB) ARTAIUS (USA) |
D BEADMAN | 55.0 | JOHN HAWKES | 1 |
|
|
FLAMING
(AUS)
4G BEAUTIFUL CROWN (USA) - MAHLIN (AUS) MISTER C. (USA) |
J FORD | 53.0 | MS G WATERHOUSE | 12 |
|
|
OSCA WARRIOR
(AUS)
7G ZEDITAVE (AUS) - FIONIAN (AUS) OPERA PRINCE (AUS) |
L V CASSIDY | 55.0 | GWENDA MARKWELL | 14 |
|
|
ZABARRA
(NZ)
5G ZABEEL (NZ) - VAINDARRA (AUS) VAIN (AUS) |
Z PURTON | 55.0 | JACK DENHAM | 6 |
|
|
ZABARRA
(NZ)
4G ZABEEL (NZ) - VAINDARRA (AUS) VAIN (AUS) |
R THOMPSON | 53.0 | JACK DENHAM | 16 |
|
|
FOUARDEE
(AUS)
4H FOREST GLOW (USA) - REMEMBER PRU (AUS) BLETCHINGLY (AUS) |
J CASSIDY | 53.5 | J R LEE | 11 |
|
|
LANDSIGHTING
(AUS)
5G GREIG (NZ) - POLITICAL ASYLUM (AUS) PLUSH (NZ) |
C MUNCE | 54.5 | NOEL MAYFIELD-SMITH | 15 |
Related News
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The Epsom Handicap is next on the agenda for the improving McHale.
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The Race History of the Bill Ritchie Handicap run at Randwick on Saturday shows it being a top Epsom guide of late.
