WHO:
Handicap milers
WHAT:
Group 1 1600-metre handicap
WHEN:
October 9th, 2021
WHERE:
Caulfield Racecourse
WHY:
To share a prize pool of AUD$500,000
Who will win the Toorak Handicap?
You need to be a tough, well rounded, fit horse to be winning the Toorak Handicap and getting in with a light a weight as possible always helps given the handicap nature of the race.
Group 1 performed horses are generally the way to go in the Toorak Handicap.
Being drawn the inside barriers in the last three decades has been an advantage with nearly half the winner since 1983 coming from the inside five gates.
It will pay to keep an eye on conditions during the day with dry weather usually favouring those horses who settle up on the speed, while a wet day can bring in the backmarkers who slingshot out to the wider lanes of Caulfield.
Many a horse will use the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) as their lead-up to the Toorak Handicap.
THE EARLY CONTENDERS
He will again get in well under the weights as he did in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) when storming home down the outside to run third.
The four-year-old gelding arguably should have won that Group 1 handicap after he was skittled at the top of the straight and baulked for a run.
His last 400 metres was one of the best of the meeting and he is going to be primed to run a huge race.
If he draws a barrier that allows him to find a spot closer to the speed in the run, they are going to have a hard time keeping him out.
Has used the Feehan Stakes (1600m) and Sandown Stakes (1500m) as his platform to running a big race in the Toorak Handicap.
The New Zealand import was unlucky to not his book his place in the Cox Plate after being nutted out by a whisker in the Feehan, but he made amends by dominating the Sandown Stakes.
He has already proven his adept ability at handling Caulfield after winning a 1400-metre BM-84 when resuming from a spell.
Gun jockey Damian Lane has piloted him throughout this whole preparation and he is a man who knows how to win this race.
The golden form reference of weight-for-age race back to a handicap rings true for five-year-old mare Tofane.
She was forced to sit outside the lead in the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington last start when having her first ever try at the mile.
She did a good job to hold on four fourth and only be beaten by just over a length.
That run is going to do her the world of good from a fitness point of view and she will be better treated at the weights than she was in the Makybe Diva Stakes.
The former Hong Kong galloper almost pinched his first Australian Group 1 race when running a huge race in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield.
He resumed off a very short 63-day spell and was only held out by in-form Sierra Sue.
He is yet to win a race at the mile on Australian soil, but his last three runs are going to be fantastic building blocks for him to acquit himself well in another Group 1 handicap.
There was some talk that the abcess she suffered on her hoof a few weeks ago might keep her out for the spring.
The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young stable has done a brilliant job to keep this mare in-form and fit.
She put the cherry on top of her preparation thus far with a brilliant win in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield after being luckless in the Feehan Stakes at Moonee Valley.
Mares in form, stay in form.
She should run another big race in the Toorak Handicap.
Mr Brightside is going to get in on the minimum weight here and he brings in a completely different form line to anything in the race.
The Ben and J D Hayes stable has got this four-year-old gelding in brilliant form.
After being pipped out by half-a-length when resuming from a spell over 1400 metres, he is yet to lose taste at this last five runs.
He has progressed through his grade beautifully this campaign and let it be known to the racing world that he has potential Group 1 racing ability after a very impressive winat Flemington over 1600 metres last start.
While carrying 60kgs, he sat outside hte lead of a solid tempo and booted cleari in the last 100 metres to stride out gracefully past the line and, in doing so, notched up his fifth win in a row.
EARLY TIP – Mr Brightside each-way $14/$4.2
Looking for a horse down in the weights who will race up on the speed.
Mr Brightside fits that mould perfectly and he has shown his ability to handle dry and soft ground to great effect this campaign.
Interesting to see if Craig Williams choses this horse or if he sticks with Tofane.
That might be a good guide into seeing who will be the better chance come race day.
THE FAMOUS WINNERS
2020-2010
Darren Weir dominated the Toorak Handicap during this period with four winners over a five-year period dating from 2014 to 2018.
Land Of Plenty (2018), Tosen Stardom (2017), Lucky Hussler (2015) and Trust In A Gust (2014) were the horses who took out the races as Weir went through to the top of Australian training ranks.
Gai Waterhouse’s star mare More Joyous (2010) also proved a winner in this race after carrying 58kgs with Nash Rawiller in the saddle.
Solzhenitsyn (2013, 2012) became the fifth horse ever to win multiple Toorak Handicap events.
Champion miler Fierce Impact (2019) also made this race this own.
2009-1999
Umrum (2000, 1999) would begin the turn of the century with famous back-to-back victories in the Toorak Handicap.
Lee Freedman’s gun galloper Marble Halls (1998) won the Toorak Handicap and was well fancied to win it in 1999, but had his race career tragically cut short in the Toorak Handicap of that year.
1998-1988
Planet Ruler (1988) was the first ever triumph in the Toorak Handicap for legendary trainer David Hayes.
Poetic King (1996) was another winner for the Freedman family under the guidnace of Lee Freedman.
Golden Sword (1993) capped off a slashing racing season by winning the Toorak Handicap following wins in the Bobbie Lewis Quality and Epsom Handicap.
Other winners
The Trump (1937), Royal Gem (1946), Galilee (1966), Tobin Bronze (1967), Leilani (1974) are the only horses to have won the Toorak Handicap and Caulfield Cup double in the same year.
Saxony (1949, 1948) became the first multiple winner of the Toorak Handicap and that success was mirrored by Desert Breeze (1953, 1952) and Nicopolis (1964, 1963).
Hall of fame galloper Gunysynd (1971) also ticked off this race in his stellar career.
RECENT WINNERS
Year | Winner | Trainer | Jockey | Odds |
2021 | ? | ? | ? | ? |
2020 | Mr Quickie | Phillip Stokes | Jamie Kah | $21 |
2019 | Fierce Impact | Matthew Smith | Craig Williams | $19 |
2018 | Land of Plenty | Darren Weir | Damian Lane | $4.2 |
2017 | Tosen Stardom | Darren Weir | Damian Lane | $9.5 |
2016 | He’s Our Rokki | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | Dwayne Dunn | $2.60 |
2015 | Lucky Hussler | Darren Weir | Glen Boss | $6 |
2014 | Trust In A Gust | Darren Weir | Brad Rawiller | $4.6 |
2013 | Solzhenitsyn | Robert Heathcote | Nash Rawiller | $5 |
2012 | Solzhenitsyn | Robert Heathcote | Corey Brown | $5 |
2011 | King Mufhasa | Stephen McKee | Michael Rodd | $10 |
2010 | More Joyous | Gai Waterhouse | Nash Rawiller | $2.2 |
How do I bet on the Toorak Handicap?
Punch in betnation.com.au on your internet browser or download and open the BetNation application on your smart phone.
Find the racing futures markets and click on the Toorak Handicap markets.
Here you will find all the main horses you can back to win the Toorak Handicap.
