Three prominent stables will be hoping they can end a century-long drought and win the $1.25 million Newmarket Handicap at their first start from a spell.

Not since 1917, when Playcrates was successful, has that feat been achieved.

The feat even eluded those great stables of the 1960s, '70s and '80s such as Bart Cummings, Colin Hayes and Tommy Smith, who had great success with horses having their first start from a break.

The three trainers attempting the feat are doing it for contrasting reasons.

The Quarterback, who is defending his Newmarket title of last year, had to be scratched at the barrier in the Lightning Stakes after becoming cast just seconds before the field was dispatched.

His trainer Robbie Griffiths is not attempting the feat by design, but rather by necessity, and has been impressed by the way the sprinter has worked since his Lightning Stakes scratching.

David Hayes has had Redkirk Warrior set for the Newmarket for some months.

"He is a very, very smart horse. He raced in Hong Kong and competed against some of the best sprinters in that country," Hayes said.

"He came to me with some serious feet problems and once we got him right, he went to Moonee Valley and had no luck. Then a month later he won at Sandown against group 3 horses and that day he beat Stratum Star. I know it's been a hundred years but his work has been sensational and he's got no weight on his back."

The other contender will be Voodoo Lad, trained by Darren Weir, who will have two runners. Hellbent is his other hope.

For Hayes, his Australian Cup hopefuls were reduced after the tough front-running import Pilote D'Essai bowed a tendon in track work last week.

"That was a blow but we're hopeful through good rehabilitation the horse can come back and be competitive," he said.

"It only leaves me with one runner and that's Boom Time, but he's won four of his last five starts, so he'll be competitive."

Weir will have a strong hand in the Australian Cup with Stratum Star, Real Love and Humidor.

All three have excellent chances in a most open Australian Cup.

Meanwhile, Hayes believes the form out of Saturday's Randwick meeting as far as the Golden Slipper is concerned may be misleading.

"It was very heavy and if you handled it, you won, which is a credit to you, but if you're beaten you couldn't take much notice of it as they obviously failed to handle the conditions," he said.

He said that Catchy, his main Golden Slipper hope, would go to Sydney on Monday week after having her final gallop at Lindsay Park.