John Hawkes rates Chautauqua as his best chance for an overdue win in the $1 million Newmarket Handicap.

"We haven't been lucky enough to win this one, not that we've had a lot of runners, but certainly it would be (nice to win)," Hawkes said.

"It's certainly no cake walk, but we can only get our horse right. If it happens, it happens.

"They've got to turn up on the day and perform on the day."

Chautauqua is one of the favourites for Saturday's race at Flemington, promoted as a showdown between the Hawkes Racing star, Sydney sprinter Terravista and last year's winner Lankan Rupee.

Hawkes' Newmarket runners have included Group One sprinters Harpagus, Lord Galaxy, Sports, Flavour, Strategic and Paratroopers.

He has won more than 100 Group Ones during his career.

Chautauqua won the Bobbie Lewis Quality and Gilgai Stakes at Flemington over the Newmarket course during last year's spring carnival.

He was then second to Terravista with Lankan Rupee third in the Darley Classic at weight-for-age.

Lankan Rupee has 3kg more than Chautauqua and 2kg more than Terravista on their Darley clash.

But Hawkes says five-time Group One winner Lankan Rupee, who resumed with a convincing Lightning Stakes win, was well weighted despite the handicap conditions of the Newmarket.

"It's a different race. Lankan Rupee is pitchforked in," Hawkes said.

Lankan Rupee has joined Chautauqua at the top of betting at $3 with Terravista and the three-year-old Brazen Beau at $5.

Terravista will attempt to become the first horse since Polycrates in 1917 to win the Newmarket first-up.

Hawkes said Chautauqua had done well since his Rubiton Stakes win when resuming.

He rates the Newmarket a potential standout race of the autumn carnival.

"There's three of the best sprinters around at present. It's a good race," Hawkes said.

"What's going to be is going to be. There can only be one winner unfortunately. We've just got to see what happens. They are all good sprinters in their own right."