Xtravagant Tops 3YO Free Handicap

The Informant reports:

Newly crowned champion three-year-old Xtravagant has been ranked among the five best three-year-olds of the last decade in the 2015-16 New Zealand Free Handicaps, which were released last week.

Xtravagant has been assigned a weight of 61.5 kilograms in the 1200 to 1600 metres category, three kilograms higher than any other three-year-old in his generation. His five wins in the 2015-16 season included eight-length demolitions in the Gr. 1 Sothys New Zealand 2000 Guineas and against older horses in the weight-for-age NRM Sprint, along with a comfortable Gr. 3 Cambridge Breeders' Stakes victory.

The Pentire colt's weight is the same as that awarded to dual Derby winner Mongolian Khan in the over-1600 metres category last year, and the only three-year-olds to receive higher weights in the last 10 years were Alamosa (62 kilograms), Jimmy Choux (62.5 kilograms) and Dundeel (62 kilograms).

Levin Classic winner Dukedom is the second highest-weighted three-year-old in the shorter distance category with 58.5 kilograms, while a distance category win in the Gr. 2 Great Northern Guineas and a Levin Classic placing earned Rangipo third place with 58 kilograms.

The highest-rated filly in the shorter distance category is the New Zealand 1000 Guineas winner Risque with 55.5 kilograms which takes into account the two-kilogram fillies' allowance. The others ahead of her are Son Of Maher (57.5), Amarula (57.5), The Justice League (57), Battle Time (56.5), Tavago (56.5) and Get That Jive (56).

Rangipo went on to win the Gr. 2 Waikato Guineas and Avondale Guineas and the Gr. 1 New Zealand Derby. The Stryker gelding tops the weights among staying three-year-olds with 60.5 kilograms.

Kiwi three-year-olds Tavago and Sofia Rosa claimed a stunning Derby and Oaks double in Sydney, and they were subsequently rated equal on the Free Handicap table, Tavago with 60 kilograms and Sofia Rosa's 58 kilograms including the female concession.

Herbie Dyke Stakes winner and Sydney Group One placegetter Valley Girl is next with 57.5 kilograms, just ahead of Queensland Oaks heroine Provocative on 57.

New Zealand Derby placegetters What's The Story and Raghu each received 57 kilograms, with Group Two performer The Hassler on 56.5 and New Zealand Oaks winner Fanatic on 56.

One of the most keenly debated categories leading into the recent Horse of the Year Awards was for champion two-year-old, where the unbeaten Diamond Stakes winner Heroic Valour was up against the dominant JJ Atkins Stakes winner Sacred Elixir.

Like the awards voters, the Free Handicaps give the edge to Sacred Elixir with 58.5 kilograms and Heroic Valour on 58.

The third Group One-winning two-year-old from last season, Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes victress Luna Rossa, came in third, although the two-kilogram allowance drops her weight to 55.5 kilograms - below Karaka Million winner Xiong Feng (57), Leading Role (56.5), Wyndspelle (56) and Sicario (56), who was runner-up in the Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes before his export to Australia.