3 minute read
It can be a bit of an upset race in the Chairman’s Handicap run at Doomben on Saturday.
Anton En Avant won it at massive odds recently. Could the 2020 Chairman's Handicap (2000m) at Doomben on Saturday provide the same?
2020 Chairman's Handicap: Nominations
2020 CHAIRMAN'S HANDICAP - RACE HISTORY AND BACKGROUND
The Chairman's Handicap is a Group 3 conducted by the Brisbane Racing Club at Doomben usually as a lead-up race to the Doomben Cup and Brisbane Cup.
The Chairman's Handicap was introduced by the former Brisbane Amateur Turf Club in 1978 and has been run under various names and over a range of distances.
The distances have varied from 2000m to 2200m. The race has been held at Doomben every year with the exception of 2013 (Eagle Farm) and 2015 (Gold Coast).
The Chairman's Handicap became a Listed race in 1980 and was promoted to Group 3 in 1995.
Real Love became the fourth successive mare to win the Chairman's Handicap after Quintessential, Pretty Pins and Epingle. The previous mare to win was Kazakh Belle in 2000.
The only 3YOs to win the Chairman's Handicap have been I Wil (1984) and Lowan Star (1980).
Anton En Avant won at 150-1 in 2018 making it one of the bigger prices for a Group winner in Australia.
Juggler (1996) and Lord Seaman (1983) won the Chairman's Handicap/Doomben Cup double when both races were run in July. The double has not been completed since the races were transferred to May.
Art Success in 2006 and Crossthestart (2010) are the only horses to win the Chairman's Handicap and Brisbane Cup double.
The 2020 Chairman's Handicap was run over 2000m for prizemoney of $125,000 – reduced due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Notable winners of the Chairman's Handicap include Proficient, Lowan Star, Astrolin, Lord Seaman, Majestic Boy, Silk Ali, Arborea, Juggler, Iron Horse, Cronus, Society Beau, Art Success, Hume, Crossthestart, Quintessential, Pretty Pins, Epingle and Real Love.
The 2019 Chairman's Handicap was won by Le Juge from Igraine and Haripour.