Horse Racing
Can The Shunter Become The First ‘Back-to-Back’ Cesarewitch Handicap Winner EVER?
Andy is a horse racing journalist and betting expert who specializes in trends and stats. With his long association with TrainersQuotes and FromTheStables, Andy has also built up solid contacts with some of the best stables in the UK. Has written for GeeGeez and bookmakers Matchbook and BetBright in the past too, plus was the former sports betting editor of odds comparison site Easyodds and Juicestorm. Has also appeared on betting podcasts for MatchBook and has featured in the popular Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Guide in the past. Andy's also ghost written for former top jockey Richard Dunwoody and continues to have a monthly column in the Racing Ahead horse racing magazine. Now a regular on Sportscasting giving his views, trends and tips mainly on horse racing - if there's a stat to be explored and it's a sport, Andy is sure to find a betting angle to use.
Get to know Andy Newton betterPublished15 hours ago on October 08, 2024
Despite the Cesarewitch Handicap being first run in 1839, the race is remarkably yet to produce a ‘back-to-back’ winner – so can last year’s hero – The Shunter, who is back for more in 2024, become the first?
The Shunter Looking To Create Cesarewitch Handicap History
There have been over 180 Cesarewitch Handicap winners over the years – but strangely we are yet to get a returning horse racing champion successfully defending his (or her) crown.
Okay, I’ll be honest – I don’t know exactly how many winners have come back to run in the race again, but being a handicap open to horses aged 3+, then I suspect quite a few have tried.
We do know the 2020 winner The Great White Shark returned in 2021 but could only manage 15th. While before that the 2015 hero Grumeti was back for more a year later in 2016 – but was 9th.
In 2010 and 2012 we did, however, see a horse winning the 2m2f contest for a second time – the only one to do so in the history of the race – when Aaim To Prosper took the prize twice in three years. The year in between (2011) he didn’t run.
So, the latest horse trying to break this long-running hoodoo is last year’s winner The Shunter, who despite being aged 11 now will be looking to become the first ‘back-to-back’ Cesarewitch Handicap winner EVER.
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The Last 11 Year-old Cesarewitch Handicap Winner Was Caracciola
The Shunter took the 2023 Cesarewitch aged 10, which made him second oldest winner of the race since 1974 and even though he’s another year older – there is hope for him.
This is because the 2008 running of the race produced a 11 year-old winner in Caracciola. Who was representing the Nicky Henderson yard and winning at 50/1 with the best betting sites in the UK.
Last year The Shunter returned at 12/1 with the best horse racing betting sites in the UK and this year he’s expected to be a similar price. With the Willie Mullins-trained Sea Of Sands the likely favourite.
Jockey James Doyle Is Back To Ride The Shunter
Another plus for The Shunter fans is that last year’s jockey James Doyle has already been booked to ride him again.
12 months ago, Doyle steered home the JP McManus horse to win by 3/4 of a length (watch below), in what was also the riders first success in the race.
The pair will be back off a 5lb higher rating, with the horse having only been out once since. Which was at Punchestown in late November.
This Cesarewitch run on Saturday (13th Oct) will be The Shunter’s first outing in 2024 and his 44th career run in total.
The Shunter Career In Numbers
- Runs: 43
- Wins (Flat): 2
- Total Wins: 7
- Career Prize Money: £319,094
Cesarewitch Handicap Race Details
📅Date: Saturday 12th October 2024
⌚Time: 3:40pm
🏇Racecourse: Newmarket
💰Winning Purse: £90,195.00
📺 TV: ITV / Racing TV
RELATED: Here at SportsCasting, you can also get daily horse racing insights and expert advice from Andrew Mount. Who provides his best bets and SpreadEx analysis each day.