A thrilling Newmarket Handicap unfolded at Flemington on Saturday, with Godolphin‘s Cylinder emerging as the surprise winner under a masterful ride by Jamie Kah.
2024 Newmarket Handicap winner Cylinder was big running down the favourite to salute for the Godolphin stable off a gun Jamie Kah ride. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Just a year after missing the winning ride on In Secret due to a fall, Kah found redemption aboard the three-year-old colt.
Cylinder, overlooked by punters at $11, bounced back from a second-place finish to Imperatriz in the Lightning Stakes to claim his first Group 1 victory.
Despite carrying the weight advantage (51.5kg), Cylinder defied odds and stormed home down the outside lane in the final stages.
He secured a dominant 1.25-length victory over the heavily favoured nine-time Group 1 winning New Zealand mare Imperatriz (burdened by the top weight of 58kg), who faded slightly after leading early.
The race also delivered a fairy tale ending for Kah.
The win came a year after her horrific fall in the VRC Sires’, a race she won this year aboard Godolphin’s Traffic Warden.
Following the victory, Kah expressed her emotions, acknowledging the contrasting fortunes of the past year.
Adding another layer of significance, Cylinder’s win came in the same week his sire, Exceed And Excel who won the Newmarket 20 years ago, was retired from stud.
Trainer James Cummings highlighted the special connection, emphasising Cylinder’s potential as a future champion stallion.
The victory also marked the inaugural awarding of the Dean Holland Trophy, honouring the late jockey who rode In Secret last year as a late call up before tragically passing away in a race fall the following month.
While Cylinder’s next race remains undecided, the TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick on April 6th is a potential target.
He is currently priced at $13 in pre-field betting through Ladbrokes.
Meanwhile, the gallant Imperatriz sets her sights on a title defence in the William Reid Stakes at The Valley on March 23rd.
Despite the Newmarket defeat, she remains the overwhelming favourite at $1.50 in all-in markets back to weight-for-age.
2024 Newmarket Handicap Result
| Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Penalty | Starting Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 | CYLINDER | James Cummings | Ms Jamie Kah | 11 | 51.5kg | $11 | |||
| 2 | 1 | IMPERATRIZ | Mark Walker | Opie Bosson | 1.25L | 3 | 58kg | $2.80F | ||
| 3 | 7 | THE ASTROLOGIST | Leon & Troy Corstens | Declan Bates | 1.55L | 12 | 52.5kg | $101 | ||
| 4 | 8 | BENEDETTA | Jason Warren | Harry Coffey | 1.65L | 9 | 52kg | $18 | ||
| 5 | 2 | BELLA NIPOTINA | Ciaron Maher | Craig Williams | 1.85L | 4 | 55.5kg | $15 | ||
| 6 | 6 | MAGIC TIME | Grahame Begg | Michael Dee | 2.25L | 10 | 53kg | $5 | ||
| 7 | 12 | SGHIRRIPA | Shane & Cassie Oxlade | Craig Newitt | 3.5L | 6 | 52kg | $11 | ||
| 8 | 5 | RUTHLESS DAME (NZ) | Ciaron Maher | Damian Lane | 3.6L | 2 | 53.5kg | $26 | ||
| 9 | 3 | BUENOS NOCHES | Matthew Smith | Blake Shinn | 4.35L | 7 | 55.5kg | $5 | ||
| 10 | 10 | MASTER FAY | Chad Ormsby | Dean Yendall | 11.35L | 8 | 52kg | $26 | ||
| 11 | 13 | SKEW WIFF (NZ) | Mark Walker | Ms Celine Gaudray (a) | 16.85L | 5 | 52kg | $61 | ||
| 12 | 9 | IT’SOURTIME | Danny O’Brien | Ms Linda Meech | 18.6L | 1 | 52kg | $81 | ||
| 4 | ESPIONA | Chris Waller | Jye McNeil | 0 | ||||||
| 11 | REY MAGNERIO | Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock | Daniel Moor | 0 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
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