European Free Handicap
Encyclopedia
The European Free Handicap is a Listed
flat
horse race
in Great Britain
which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred
s. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket
over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in mid April.
It is a handicap in which horses carry weights based on the European Thoroughbred Rankings, an assessment of the previous season's two-year-olds published in January.
The event sometimes serves as a trial for the first Classics of the European flat season. The last winner to achieve victory in the 2,000 Guineas was Mystiko in 1991, and the most recent participant to win the 1,000 Guineas was Harayir, the runner-up in 1995.
At present, the European Free Handicap is held on the opening day of Newmarket's two-day Craven Meeting, one day before the Craven Stakes
.
Leading jockey
since 1986 (6 wins):
----
Leading trainer
since 1986 (5 wins):
Conditions races
Conditions races are horse races where the weights carried by the runners are laid down by the conditions attached to the race. Weights are allocated according to; the sex of the runners, with female runners carrying less weight than males; the age of the runners, with younger horses receiving...
flat
Flat racing
Flat racing is a form of Thoroughbred horse racing which is run over a level track at a predetermined distance. It differs from steeplechase racing which is run over hurdles...
horse race
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
s. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket
Newmarket Racecourse
The town of Newmarket, in Suffolk, England, is the headquarters of British horseracing, home to the largest cluster of training yards in the country and many key horse racing organisations. Newmarket Racecourse has two courses - the Rowley Mile Course and the July Course. Both are wide, galloping...
over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in mid April.
It is a handicap in which horses carry weights based on the European Thoroughbred Rankings, an assessment of the previous season's two-year-olds published in January.
The event sometimes serves as a trial for the first Classics of the European flat season. The last winner to achieve victory in the 2,000 Guineas was Mystiko in 1991, and the most recent participant to win the 1,000 Guineas was Harayir, the runner-up in 1995.
At present, the European Free Handicap is held on the opening day of Newmarket's two-day Craven Meeting, one day before the Craven Stakes
Craven Stakes
The Craven Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and geldings. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in mid April.The event serves as a trial for the first...
.
Records
Leading jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
since 1986 (6 wins):
- Pat EdderyPat EdderyPatrick James John "Pat" Eddery is a former flat racing jockey. Pat's father Jimmy Eddery was a jockey, as is his brother Paul Eddery.-Career:...
– Danehill (1989), Anshan (1990), Pursuit of Love (1992), So Factual (1993), Cayman Kai (1996), Twilight Blues (2002)
----
Leading trainer
Horse trainer
In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...
since 1986 (5 wins):
- Richard HannonRichard HannonRichard Hannon is a British horse trainer based in East Everleigh Stables, Marlborough, Wiltshire.Hannon's family has a tradition of horse training—his father was also a horse trainer, his son Richard is currently the assistant trainer, and his son-in-law Richard Hughes is the stable jockey. ...
– Bluegrass Prince (1994), Cayman Kai (1996), Cape Town (2000), Kamakiri (2005), Pausanias (2011)
Winners since 1986
- Weights given in stones and poundPound (mass)The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
s.Year Winner Weight Jockey Trainer Time 1986 Green Desert Green Desert (horse)Green Desert is a retired British Thoroughbred racehorse and active sire.Currently standing at Shadwell Stud, Green Desert is the sire of four Champion Sprinters and seventy-two individual Stakes winners...9-07 Walter Swinburn Walter SwinburnWalter R. Swinburn is a retired flat racing jockey who competed in Great Britain and Ireland as well as internationally.Swinburn was born in Oxford...Michael Stoute Michael StouteSir Michael Ronald Stoute is a Barbadian British thoroughbred horse trainer in flat racing. Stoute, whose father was the Chief of police for Barbados, left the island in 1964 at the age of 19 to become an assistant to trainer Pat Rohan and began training horses on his own in 1972...1:32.36 1987 Noble Minstrel 9-07 Alain Badel Olivier Douieb 1:27.00 1988 Lapierre 9-01 Michael Roberts Michael Roberts (jockey)Michael Roberts is a South African jockey currently residing in Suffolk, England, with his wife Verna and two daughters, Melanie and Carolyn. Roberts has had a successful career, winning many English and South African races multiple times. He was British flat racing Champion Jockey in 1992...Clive Brittain Clive BrittainClive Brittain is a British race-horse trainer. He began training as an apprentice in 1949, and on his own as a licensed trainer in the early 1970s. He currently trains at Carlburg Stables in Newmarket, Suffolk...1:27.61 1989 Danehill Danehill (horse)Danehill was a Thoroughbred racehorse who was bred in the United States. During his phenomenal stud career Danehill became a champion sire on both sides of the Equator...9-01 Pat Eddery Pat EdderyPatrick James John "Pat" Eddery is a former flat racing jockey. Pat's father Jimmy Eddery was a jockey, as is his brother Paul Eddery.-Career:...Jeremy Tree Jeremy TreeArthur Jeremy Tree, was a British Thoroughbred racehorse trainer.-Background:Born into a prominent London, England family, Tree was always known by his middle name, Jeremy. His father was Ronald Tree, an American-born British journalist, investor and Conservative Member of Parliament for the...1:27.57 1990 Anshan 9-07 Pat Eddery Pat EdderyPatrick James John "Pat" Eddery is a former flat racing jockey. Pat's father Jimmy Eddery was a jockey, as is his brother Paul Eddery.-Career:...John Gosden John GosdenJohn Gosden is a racehorse trainer. Having trained over 2,000 winners since his return to England in 1989, including winners of the Breeders' Cup Classic, the Derby, the King George, the 1,000 Guineas and the St. Leger, he is generally considered one of the most successful racehorse trainers of...1:24.07 1991 Mystiko 9-02 Michael Roberts Michael Roberts (jockey)Michael Roberts is a South African jockey currently residing in Suffolk, England, with his wife Verna and two daughters, Melanie and Carolyn. Roberts has had a successful career, winning many English and South African races multiple times. He was British flat racing Champion Jockey in 1992...Clive Brittain Clive BrittainClive Brittain is a British race-horse trainer. He began training as an apprentice in 1949, and on his own as a licensed trainer in the early 1970s. He currently trains at Carlburg Stables in Newmarket, Suffolk...1:25.72 1992 Pursuit of Love 9-01 Pat Eddery Pat EdderyPatrick James John "Pat" Eddery is a former flat racing jockey. Pat's father Jimmy Eddery was a jockey, as is his brother Paul Eddery.-Career:...Henry Cecil Henry CecilSir Henry Richard Amherst Cecil is a successful English horse racing trainer who has had many winners in the Epsom Derby, 1,000 Guineas and 2,000 Guineas, Epsom Oaks and the St. Leger Stakes....1:26.55 1993 So Factual 9-06 Pat Eddery Pat EdderyPatrick James John "Pat" Eddery is a former flat racing jockey. Pat's father Jimmy Eddery was a jockey, as is his brother Paul Eddery.-Career:...Guy Harwood Guy HarwoodGuy Harwood is a retired British racehorse trainer. Harwood was born in Pulborough, West Sussex, in 1939. Harwood began riding at the age of 18 and won 40 point-to-point races and 14 National Hunt races over the next few years...1:26.23 1994 Bluegrass Prince 8-13 Frankie Dettori Frankie DettoriLanfranco "Frankie" Dettori, MBE is an Italian horse racing jockey and celebrity. Dettori has been Champion Jockey on three occasions and has ridden the winners of more than 500 Group races.. He has had many successes in his role of stable jockey to Godolphin Racing...Richard Hannon Richard HannonRichard Hannon is a British horse trainer based in East Everleigh Stables, Marlborough, Wiltshire.Hannon's family has a tradition of horse training—his father was also a horse trainer, his son Richard is currently the assistant trainer, and his son-in-law Richard Hughes is the stable jockey. ...1:30.67 1995 Diffident 9-05 Michael Kinane Michael KinaneMichael J. Kinane is a former flat racing jockey. He had a 34-year career, retiring on 8 December 2009....André Fabre André FabreAndré Fabre is a French thoroughbred horse racing trainer.The son of a diplomat, Fabre graduated from university with a law degree but then decided to pursue a career in thoroughbred horse racing. He began by working in the stables as a groom then as a schooling rider...1:22.93 1996 Cayman Kai 9-07 Pat Eddery Pat EdderyPatrick James John "Pat" Eddery is a former flat racing jockey. Pat's father Jimmy Eddery was a jockey, as is his brother Paul Eddery.-Career:...Richard Hannon Richard HannonRichard Hannon is a British horse trainer based in East Everleigh Stables, Marlborough, Wiltshire.Hannon's family has a tradition of horse training—his father was also a horse trainer, his son Richard is currently the assistant trainer, and his son-in-law Richard Hughes is the stable jockey. ...1:22.98 1997 Hidden Meadow 9-03 Frankie Dettori Frankie DettoriLanfranco "Frankie" Dettori, MBE is an Italian horse racing jockey and celebrity. Dettori has been Champion Jockey on three occasions and has ridden the winners of more than 500 Group races.. He has had many successes in his role of stable jockey to Godolphin Racing...Ian Balding Ian BaldingIan Balding emigrated with his family to England in 1945. He is the son of the polo player and racehorse trainer Gerald Barnard Balding, Sr. and the younger brother of trainer Toby Balding. Kingsclere became his home at the age of 26 and it is here that earned his reputation as an internationally...1:25.60 1998 Desert Prince 9-05 Olivier Peslier Olivier PeslierOlivier Peslier is a thoroughbred horse racing jockey.Peslier competes in flat racing mainly in France but travels often around the world for the big international races....David Loder David LoderDavid Loder is a retired trainer of Thoroughbred racehorses.David Loder is the son of Simon Loder, of the family of Loder Baronets, by Sandra Fleming, a descendant of Robert Fleming...1:31.39 1999 Bertolini 9-07 Frankie Dettori Frankie DettoriLanfranco "Frankie" Dettori, MBE is an Italian horse racing jockey and celebrity. Dettori has been Champion Jockey on three occasions and has ridden the winners of more than 500 Group races.. He has had many successes in his role of stable jockey to Godolphin Racing...John Gosden John GosdenJohn Gosden is a racehorse trainer. Having trained over 2,000 winners since his return to England in 1989, including winners of the Breeders' Cup Classic, the Derby, the King George, the 1,000 Guineas and the St. Leger, he is generally considered one of the most successful racehorse trainers of...1:26.00 2000 Cape Town 9-02 Richard Hughes Richard Hughes (jockey)Richard Hughes is an Irish flat jockey who most commonly rides in Great Britain. Born in Dublin, he is the son of successful National Hunt trainer, Dessie Hughes. His main provider of rides has been trainer Richard Hannon who is also his father in law andfrom 2001 to 2007 he was also retained by...Richard Hannon Richard HannonRichard Hannon is a British horse trainer based in East Everleigh Stables, Marlborough, Wiltshire.Hannon's family has a tradition of horse training—his father was also a horse trainer, his son Richard is currently the assistant trainer, and his son-in-law Richard Hughes is the stable jockey. ...1:27.50 2001 Clearing 9-06 Richard Hughes Richard Hughes (jockey)Richard Hughes is an Irish flat jockey who most commonly rides in Great Britain. Born in Dublin, he is the son of successful National Hunt trainer, Dessie Hughes. His main provider of rides has been trainer Richard Hannon who is also his father in law andfrom 2001 to 2007 he was also retained by...John Gosden John GosdenJohn Gosden is a racehorse trainer. Having trained over 2,000 winners since his return to England in 1989, including winners of the Breeders' Cup Classic, the Derby, the King George, the 1,000 Guineas and the St. Leger, he is generally considered one of the most successful racehorse trainers of...1:29.37 2002 Twilight Blues 9-05 Pat Eddery Pat EdderyPatrick James John "Pat" Eddery is a former flat racing jockey. Pat's father Jimmy Eddery was a jockey, as is his brother Paul Eddery.-Career:...Brian Meehan 1:24.88 2003 Indian Haven 9-01 John Egan Paul D'Arcy 1:27.01 2004 Brunel 8-13 Darryll Holland Darryll HollandDarryll Paul Holland is a United Kingdom flat racing jockey who has ridden for trainers such as Luca Cumani, Geoff Wragg, and Mark Johnston....William Haggas 1:26.45 2005 Kamakiri 8-10 Ryan Moore Richard Hannon Richard HannonRichard Hannon is a British horse trainer based in East Everleigh Stables, Marlborough, Wiltshire.Hannon's family has a tradition of horse training—his father was also a horse trainer, his son Richard is currently the assistant trainer, and his son-in-law Richard Hughes is the stable jockey. ...1:24.51 2006 Misu Bond 8-13 Tony Culhane Bryan Smart 1:24.11 2007 Prime Defender Prime DefenderPrime Defender is a racehorse. Trained by B W Hills in Lambourn and owned by 3 friends Steve Falle, Matt Franklin and James Sumsion....9-05 Michael Hills Barry Hills Barry HillsBarry Hills is a British thoroughbred horse trainer. He lives in Lambourn, England.-Biography:Barry Hills had three sons in his first marriage: John, Michael, and Richard. John is a horse trainer, and both Michael and Richard are jockeys. After his divorce, he married Penny Hills, and had two more...1:23.36 2008 Stimulation 9-03 Steve Drowne Steve DrowneSteve Drowne is a professional Flat racing jockey. Growing up, he attended Newmarket Racing School. His father was a Devon farmer.Drowne is one of racing's most respected senior riders. He has a long association with trainer Roger Charlton.- External links :...Hughie Morrison 1:27.17 2009 Ouqba 8-09 Richard Hills Barry Hills Barry HillsBarry Hills is a British thoroughbred horse trainer. He lives in Lambourn, England.-Biography:Barry Hills had three sons in his first marriage: John, Michael, and Richard. John is a horse trainer, and both Michael and Richard are jockeys. After his divorce, he married Penny Hills, and had two more...1:27.22 2010 Red Jazz 9-06 Michael Hills Barry Hills Barry HillsBarry Hills is a British thoroughbred horse trainer. He lives in Lambourn, England.-Biography:Barry Hills had three sons in his first marriage: John, Michael, and Richard. John is a horse trainer, and both Michael and Richard are jockeys. After his divorce, he married Penny Hills, and had two more...1:26.55 2011 Pausanias 8-12 Richard Hughes Richard Hughes (jockey)Richard Hughes is an Irish flat jockey who most commonly rides in Great Britain. Born in Dublin, he is the son of successful National Hunt trainer, Dessie Hughes. His main provider of rides has been trainer Richard Hannon who is also his father in law andfrom 2001 to 2007 he was also retained by...Richard Hannon Richard HannonRichard Hannon is a British horse trainer based in East Everleigh Stables, Marlborough, Wiltshire.Hannon's family has a tradition of horse training—his father was also a horse trainer, his son Richard is currently the assistant trainer, and his son-in-law Richard Hughes is the stable jockey. ...1:24.06