The race has not been run since 2006 when it was won by First Wind, trained by Shane Kennedy and ridden by Lisa Young.
The Birthday Handicap was first run in 1873 by the then Dunedin Jockey Club over a distance of a mile and a-quarter (2000m) at the winter meeting. It became the major flat race over 2200m at the Queen's (or King's) Birthday weekend meeting. It is over 2100m on Sunday.
The Birthday Handicap has been won by many notable gallopers including Kumai, one of the greatest winter performers in the history of New Zealand racing.
The grey gelding won in 1964 and 1965 with Brian Anderton the rider, carrying the equivalent of 60kg and 62.5kg. The minimum weight in the handicap on each occasion was 48kg.
Anderton and his son, Shane, trained Milly Bijou to win the race in 2001.
The weight-carrying record for the Birthday Handicap is 63.5kg by Rorke's Drift in 1916. Rorke's Drift also won the Birthday Handicap in 1918 and 1921 as a 9yr-old.
He is the only horse to win the race three times.
The Calibre gelding, trained by "Put" Hogan, also won the Dunedin Cup in 1916 and 1919 and the 1917 Riverton Cup as a 3yr-old under 62kg.
Val Christophers, the Winton owner-trainer of Mann A Rook, winner of the Birthday Handicap in 1977, has Danz A Rook in the race on Sunday.
Chris Johnson, who won the Birthday Handicap on Good Greef (1995), has the mount on Acquit, whom he rode to a last-start win in the Wairio Cup at Ascot Park on May 18.
Good Greef was trained by Ted Winsloe, who had other Birthday Handicap winners, Soberano (1973) and Vamoose (1959). His son, Ellis, has Kidunot engaged on Sunday.
Terry Moseley, who rides Kidunot, won the race on Dave's Luck (2004) and Ayrgo (2002).
- tayler.strong@allied press.co.nz
