Ladbrokes Tip: Toorak Handicap graduates have a good strike-rate in the Cox Plate
This season the 2025 Toorak Handicap ran on Saturday October 11, 2025 on Caulfield Guineas Day and was won in a stunning upset by Queenslander Transatlantic ($10) to hand trainer Tony Gollan back-to-back wins.
2025 Toorak Handicap Results
The full Toorak Handicap 2025 Results & Finishing Order will be detailed below when the race takes place on 2025 Caulfield Guineas Day, Saturday October 11, 2025.
- 1st: No. 6 Transatlantic
- 2nd: No. 3 Evaporate
- 3rd: No. 9 San Giovanni
Brisbane galloper Transatlantic ($10) claimed a thrilling victory in the 2025 Toorak Handicap results at Caulfield on Guineas Day giving trainer Tony Gollan back-to-back wins in the prestigious mile race when turning the tables on his last start conqueror Evaporate to win the Group 1.
2025 Toorak Handicap Odds
The updated Toorak Handicap 2025 betting odds complete with links to our Group 1 Caulfield Guineas Day markets will be available below as soon as open so stay tuned for the best mile racing odds online.
| 6. Transatlantic (9) J: Mark Zahra 56.5kg 19x22T: Tony Gollan | ||
| 3. Evaporate (6) J: Blake Shinn 58kg 21x51T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes | ||
| 9. Leica Lucy (10) J: Damian Lane 54.5kg 114x4T: Chris Waller | ||
| 11. Athanatos (1) J: Craig Williams 52kg 1x363T: Phillip Stokes | ||
| 7. Lazzura (5) J: James McDonald 56kg 24x11T: Chris Waller | ||
| 10. Damask Rose (3) J: Jamie Melham 54kg 11x57T: Mark Walker | ||
| 2. Pinstriped (2) J: Jamie Mott 58.5kg 7x795T: Enver Jusufovic | ||
| 4. Feroce (8) J: Billy Egan 58kg 16x63T: Dominic Sutton | ||
| 1. Desert Lightning (7) J: Luke Nolen 59kg 4x215T: Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman | ||
| 5. Sepals (4) J: Ethan Brown 57kg 14x11T: Cliff Brown |
Toorak Handicap Tips
Toorak Handicap tips that are the most likely to pay off are to take the best performers coming out of similar grade Group 1 runs over 1400m or further.
Other Toorak Handicap tips are to take a runner drawn in barrier 11, which produced two of the four winners from 2011-2014. Looking for the four-year-olds who have a dominant recent record in the Toorak Handicap results since 2005 is another strong betting tip.
Looking over the history of the race it is clear the wider-drawn horses and proven Group 1 placegetters are the best to back in Toorak Handicap tipping.
2025 Toorak Handicap Tips
Our Ladbrokes’ exclusive Toorak Handicap 2025 betting tips will be detailed below the week of the race so stay tuned for the milers to get behind at the best value Caulfield odds this spring.
2025 Toorak Handicap Same Race Multi Selections ($22 at time of publish)
- Top 2 – No. 5 Sepals
- Top 3 – No. 9 Leica Lucy
- Top 3 – No. 7 Lazzura
SEPALS (4) heads the 2025 Toorak Handicap market following his brilliant Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes victory and looks every bit a genuine Top 2 contender again at Caulfield. The ultra-consistent Calyx gelding is undefeated at Caulfield and returns to the mile for the first time since running a tough fourth to Feroce in the Group 1 Australian Guineas, beaten just two lengths as a three-year-old. Now third-up and rock-hard fit, he’s chasing a slice of history — no horse has completed the Sir Rupert Clarke–Toorak Handicap double since Trust In A Gust in 2014. Craig Williams steered him to his latest Group 1 success from a wide draw, but this time Ethan Brown, who partnered him to a first-up win, reunites from barrier four with 57kg on his back. The rise in weight is the only real concern, but he’s clearly flying and strikes this race in peak condition. With his flawless Caulfield record, tactical versatility, and proven Group 1 form, Sepals looks perfectly placed to continue his winning run and is rightfully the one they all have to beat.
LEICA LUCY (10) is a classy Kiwi import for Waller, who is still chasing his first Toorak Handicap victory, and she looks a genuine contender to deliver it. Drawn in barrier 10 with Damian Lane aboard, the talented Derryn mare has been well supported into $8, sitting among the key single-figure hopes in the market. Leica Lucy was outstanding across the Tasman last season, stringing together five consecutive wins, culminating in a brilliant Group 1 NZ Oaks (2400m) triumph. She then travelled to Sydney, where she lost no admirers finishing a close fourth — less than a length behind Treasurethe Moment — in the Group 1 ATC Oaks. Resuming this spring, she ran a strong fourth in the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes at Flemington under 58.5kg, and now steps up in trip — a move that perfectly suits her staying credentials. Dropping to 54.5kg here, she looks ideally weighted to make her presence felt against a top-quality field.
LAZZURA (5), the flying Snitzel mare for team Waller, has been one of the early market movers, chasing a hat-trick of wins this campaign. The talented four-year-old resumed with a gritty victory on a Heavy (10) Randwick track in the Group 3 Show County Quality, defeating With Your Blessing, before backing that up with a polished performance on a Good (4) at Flemington in the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes, carrying 57.5kg. Dropping to 56kg for her Caulfield debut, Lazzura steps up in class but continues to impress with her versatility and sharp turn of foot. She’ll jump from a favourable barrier five with James McDonald sticking solid — a key booking given his familiarity with the mare and her racing pattern. Waller’s team is flying this spring, and Lazzura looks perfectly placed to extend her winning streak and give the stable another strong hand in the Toorak.
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9. Leica Lucy (10)
J: Damian Lane 54.5kg
114×4T: Chris Waller
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7. Lazzura (5)
J: James McDonald 56kg
24×11T: Chris Waller
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5. Sepals (4)
J: Ethan Brown 57kg
14×11T: Cliff Brown
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The Toorak Handicap is one of the key mile features of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival and runs over 1600m at Caulfield Racecourse on Caulfield Guineas Day in mid-October each year. On a meeting that is headlined by three Group 1 races the Toorak Handicap is worth $1,000,000 in prize money as of 2021 and was first run in 1881 when Josephine won the inaugural edition.
Open to horses aged three-years-old and above it has held Group 1 status since 1979 and was traditionally contested by horses that came off a lead-up run at the track in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m). Trust In A Gust (2014) was the last horse to do the Sir Rupert Clarke – Toorak Handicap double.
In 2023 however the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes was moved to late November and now takes place after the Toorak.
The other elite level races that run alongside the Toorak Handicap at the meeting are the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) and the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m) for possible Cox Plate horses that now runs as the Might And Power.
Notable Toorak Handicap winners over the years include Royal Gem (1946), Galilee (1966), Leilani (1974), Roman Arch (2003), More Joyous (2010), and recent dual champ Solzhenitsyn (2012 & 2013).
The 2021 Toorak Handicap form was franked with the winner I’m Thunderstruck winning Sydney’s The Golden Eagle next start, a race now worth $10 million. The gun galloper returned the following autumn to finish runner-up in both the The All-Star Mile in Melbourne and Sydney’s Doncaster Mile.
Toorak Handicap Race Info
- Date: Saturday October 11, 2025
- Track: Caulfield Racecourse
- Distance: 1600m
- Conditions: Handicap
- Status: Group 1
- Prize Money: $1,000,000
- First Run: 1881
Toorak Handicap Betting
Toorak Handicap betting markets were traditionally led by horses that ran in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at the same track which has produced six winners from 2012-18 including Trust In A Gust (2014) who completed the double before the Sir Rupert was moved to November ahead of the 2023 edition.
Tuvalu (3rd in 2022) was the last Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes graduate to back-up and win the Toorak Handicap.
Previous experience over the mile also bodes well for horses at the top of the Toorak Handicap odds.
Favourites in the Toorak Handicap betting odds have a solid record in the race over the past decade with six saluting for the punters from 2010-22 including He’s Our Rokkii ($2.60 in 2016), Land Of Plenty ($4.20 in 2018), and I’m Thunderstruck ($3.10 in 2021).
Upsets though are also not uncommon with the longest priced Toorak Handicap winner in recent history being Allez Wonder ($41 in 2009). A roughie hope also saluted in 2019 with Fierce Impact ($18) defeating the equal favourite Night’s Watch ($7), while there was another outsider at the top of the results in 2020 with Mr Quickie ($21).
There was another notable upset in 2023 with Attrition winning at $26 while the third placed Bankers Choice jumped at $201!
In 2025 Attrition returned to run second in the Toorak Handicap results behind $10 champ Transatlantic.
Toorak Handicap Field
The Toorak Handicap race field has a capacity of 18 starters, that maximum last lining up in 2008 when Alamosa won the classic before the race drew capacity starters again in both 2017 – when Japanese import Tosen Stardom saluted – and 2018 when the favourite Land Of Plenty got the job done for the punters. The Toorak Handicap field also ran at capacity in 2019 when the Japanese-bred gallopers won for the second time in two years via the Matthew Smith-trained Fierce Impact.
It is a race known for its big fields with no single figure fields lining-up in over 30 years. Final Toorak Handicap acceptances are taken on the Wednesday before the race and feature the best milers of the season. The nominations for the race close the Monday two days out from the field and barrier draw release every October.
Horses traditionally come into the Toorak Handicap field via a lead-up run in Group 1 Melbourne races earlier in the spring and may continue onto the Melbourne Cup Carnival to contest later Group 1 features including the Group 1 VRC Champions Stakes (2000m) run at Flemington on the Saturday after the Melbourne Cup.
2025 Toorak Handicap Field
The official Toorak Handicap 2025 Final Field & Barriers are set for release on the Wednesday leading-up to Caulfield Guineas Day and will be listed in full below so stay tuned to see what gun spring milers make the field.
The 2025 Toorak Handicap field features a smart line-up of spring milers including Lindsay Park’s last start Sandown Stakes winner Evaporate, the Cliff Brown trained Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke champ Sepals chasing a hat-trick, and Chris Waller’s Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes winning Snitzel mare Lazzura also after her third win on the trot this prep.
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. Desert Lightning
J: Luke Nolen
T: Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman |
24x215 | G | 7 | 59kg | |
|
2. Pinstriped
J: Jamie Mott
T: Enver Jusufovic |
97x795 | G | 2 | 58.5kg | |
|
3. Evaporate
J: Blake Shinn
T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
421x51 | G | 6 | 58kg | |
|
4. Feroce
J: Billy Egan
T: Dominic Sutton |
316x63 | G | 8 | 58kg | |
|
5. Sepals
J: Ethan Brown
T: Cliff Brown |
114x11 | G | 4 | 57kg | |
|
6. Transatlantic
J: Mark Zahra
T: Tony Gollan |
519x22 | G | 9 | 56.5kg | |
|
7. Lazzura
J: James McDonald
T: Chris Waller |
124x11 | M | 5 | 56kg | |
| 8. Willydoit (11) Scratched: | |||||
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9. Leica Lucy
J: Damian Lane
T: Chris Waller |
1114x4 | M | 10 | 54.5kg | |
|
10. Damask Rose
J: Jamie Melham
T: Mark Walker |
611x57 | M | 3 | 54kg | |
|
11. Athanatos
J: Craig Williams
T: Phillip Stokes |
21x363 | G | 1 | 52kg | |
2025 Toorak Handicap Nominations
The early Toorak Handicap 2025 Nominations are taken the Monday of race week and will be available below once announced.
The 2025 Toorak Handicap nominations attracted 18 top-class milers led in all-in betting by Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes winner Sepals chasing a hat-trick.
| Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Ballot | Weight | True Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4x8024x215 | DESERT LIGHTNING (NZ) | G | 6 | Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman | 1 | 59kg | 59kg | 110 | |
| 2 | 376x97x795 | PINSTRIPED | G | 7 | Enver Jusufovic | 2 | 58.5kg | 58.5kg | 109 | |
| 3 | 39x3421x51 | EVAPORATE (NZ) | G | 4 | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | 3 | 58kg | 58kg | 108 | |
| 4 | 423x316x63 | FEROCE (NZ) | G | 4 | Dominic Sutton | 4 | 58kg | 58kg | 108 | |
| 5 | 5x43124x11 | LAZZURA | M | 4 | Chris Waller | 5 | 56kg | 56kg | 108 | |
| 6 | 41114×11 | SEPALS | G | 4 | Cliff Brown | 6 | 57kg | 57kg | 106 | |
| 7 | 12111114×4 | LEICA LUCY (NZ) | M | 4 | Chris Waller | 7 | 54.5kg | 54.5kg | 105 | |
| 8 | 11x3519x22 | TRANSATLANTIC | G | 5 | Tony Gollan | 8 | 56.5kg | 56.5kg | 105 | |
| 9 | x3x1611x57 | DAMASK ROSE (NZ) | M | 4 | Mark Walker | 9 | 54kg | 54kg | 104 | |
| 10 | 3111014×8 | WILLYDOIT (NZ) | G | 4 | Ciaron Maher | 10 | 56kg | 56kg | 104 | |
| 11 | 087x02x8x6 | UNSPOKEN (IRE) | G | 7 | Peter Snowden | 11 | 56kg | 56kg | 104 | |
| 12 | 6x974522x2 | VIVY AIR | M | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 12 | 52kg | 51.5kg | 99 | |
| 13 | 32×4354574 | WARNIE (IRE) | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 13 | 52.5kg | 52.5kg | 97 | |
| 14 | 6190821126 | EL ROCKO | G | 7 | John McArdle | 14 | 52kg | 51.5kg | 95 | |
| 15 | 2511118×75 | ENXUTO | G | 5 | Robbie Griffiths | 15 | 52kg | 50kg | 92 | |
| 16 | 322121×363 | ATHANATOS | G | 4 | Phillip Stokes | 16 | 52kg | 49kg | 90 | |
| 17 | 20x446x054 | PONDALOWIE | M | 5 | Emma-Lee & David Browne | 17 | 52kg | 46.5kg | 89 | |
| 18 | 116324×315 | MAGNATEAR | G | 6 | Richard & Will Freedman | 18 | 52kg | 52kg | 89 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
Toorak Handicap Form Guide
The Toorak Handicap form guide features all the crucial information like saddlecloth numbers, jockeys, trainers and the allocated weights of all the horses in the field.
Looking for horses that ran first three in their lead-up run is important as the Toorak Handicap form shows that gallopers that finished in the money last time out have the best record in the Group 1. Wide gates have produced as many winners as inside gates over the past decade.
The 2022 Toorak Handicap form was franked with the winner Tuvalu running second next-up at Flemington in the Group 1 VRC Champions Mile (1600m). The runner-up Laws Of Indices meanwhile went to Sydney for a third in the $2 million Five Diamonds before heading overseas to finish third in that year’s Hong Kong Mile.
Antino went on to frank the 2024 Toorak Handicap form with a next-up second in the Group 1 Champions Mile over the Melbourne Cup Carnival before returning in 2025 to take out Brisbane’s Doomben Cup in the winter.
Toorak Handicap Form Facts
- Favourites in Toorak Handicap betting saluted five times from 2013-25.
- Four-year-olds have the best record overall in the Toorak Handicap results going back over the past 30 years with Attrition (2023) the last four-year-old Toorak Handicap winner.
- More Joyous (2010) was the last mare to win the Toorak Handicap.
2025 Toorak Handicap Form Guide
A link to our detailed Toorak Handicap 2025 Form Guide will be provided for punters the week of the race.
Toorak Handicap Results
The Toorak Handicap race results and finishing order of all starters is known when the event runs on Caulfield Guineas Day. You can find out the winner, quinella, trifecta, first four as well as the winning margin for any exotic bets placed on the spring major.
K. Cid (1929) is the sole three-year-old Toorak Handicap winner in history.
There have been five multiple Toorak Handicap winners to date with Solzhenitsyn (2012, 2013); Umrum (1999, 2000); Nicopolis (1963, 1964); Desert Breeze (1952, 1953); and Saxony (1948, 1949) all winning the race twice.
Land Of Plenty holds the current Toorak Handicap race record winning in 2018 in a time of 1 minute 34.52 seconds.
Past Toorak Handicap Winners
Recent Toorak Handicap winners dating back to the year 1983 are detailed in the below table.
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer/s | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Transatalantic | Mark Zahra | Tony Gollan | 1:35.64 |
| 2024 | Antino | Blake Shinn | Tony Gollan | 1:35.24 |
| 2023 | Attrition | Beau Mertens | Mitchell Freedman | 1:36.47 |
| 2022 | Tuvalu | Jarrod Fry | Lindsey Smith | 1:36.55 |
| 2021 | I’m Thunderstruck | Jye McNeil | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | 1:34.87 |
| 2020 | Mr Quickie | Jamie Kah | Phillip Stokes | 1:35.81 |
| 2019 | Fierce Impact | Craig Williams | Matthew Smith | 1:35.19 |
| 2018 | Land Of Plenty | Damian Lane | Darren Weir | 1:34.52 |
| 2017 | Tosen Stardom | Damian Lane | Darren Weir | 1:35.8 |
| 2016 | He’s Our Rokkii | Dwayne Dunn | David and B Hayes and T Dabernig | 1:36.1 |
| 2015 | Lucky Hussler | Glen Boss | Darren Weir | 1:34.5 |
| 2014 | Trust In A Gust | Brad Rawiller | Darren Weir | 1:35.2 |
| 2013 | Solzhenitsyn | Nash Rawiller | Robert Heathcote | 1:36.4 |
| 2012 | Solzhenitsyn | Corey Brown | Robert Heathcote | 1:35.2 |
| 2011 | King Mufhasa | Michael Rodd | Stephen McKee | 1:36.2 |
| 2010 | More Joyous | Nash Rawiller | Gai Waterhouse | 1:36.4 |
| 2009 | Allez Wonder | Michelle Payne | Bart Cummings | 1:35.0 |
| 2008 | Alamosa | Craig Newitt | Mick Price | 1:36.9 |
| 2007 | Divine Madonna | M Rodd | Mark Kavanagh | 1.37.3 |
| 2006 | Red Dazzler | J A Cassidy | Mick Price | 1.37.5 |
| 2005 | Barely A Moment | Craig Williams | Tony McEvoy | 1.37.9 |
| 2004 | Regal Roller | M Flaherty | Clinton McDonald | 1.37.4 |
| 2003 | Roman Arch | L Currie | Robbie Laing | 1.36.0 |
| 2002 | Shot of Thunder | G Boss | John O’Shea | 1.36.1 |
| 2001 | Show of Heart | G Boss | B N Miller | 1.35.8 |
| 2000 | Umrum | J A Cassidy | L M Macdonald | 1.36.4 |
| 1999 | Umrum | E A Wilkinson | L M Macdonald | – |
| 1998 | Marble Halls | J A Cassidy | D L Freedman | – |
| 1997 | Penghulu | G J Childs | H E Parnham | – |
| 1996 | Poetic King | S D Marshall | D L Freedman | – |
| 1995 | Sober Suit | B Prebble | J W Edwards | – |
| 1994 | Oppressor | D Taggart | G Mance | – |
| 1993 | Golden Sword | S R King | J Denham | – |
| 1992 | Ready To Explode | S R King | John Meagher | – |
| 1991 | Comrade | J A Cassidy | DR G Chapman | – |
| 1990 | Ricochet Rosie | Mick Dittman | G H Walter | – |
| 1989 | Cole Diesel | M Kerr | G Mance | – |
| 1988 | Planet Ruler | B York | D A Hayes | – |
| 1987 | Caledonian Boy | P Hyland | J J Moloney | – |
| 1986 | Canny Lass | J Marshall | Rick Hore-Lacy | – |
| 1985 | King Phoenix | M Goreham | T R Howe | – |
| 1984 | Mr. Ironclad | P Jarman | B J McLachlan | – |
| 1983 | Showmeran | G Doughty | K Neman Jr. | – |
FAQ
Who won the 2025 Toorak Handicap?
The 2025 Toorak Handicap was won by five-year-old Snitzel gelding Transatlantic at $10 for trainer Tony Gollan with jockey Mark Zahra aboard on 56.5kg from barrier 9 to win by 0.15 lengths on a Good (3) track in a time of 1:35.64.
When is the Toorak Handicap 2025?
Saturday October 11, 2025What is the prize money for the Toorak Handicap 2025?
$1,000,000
Where is the Toorak Handicap 2025?
Caulfield Racecourse, Gate 2, Station St, Caulfield East VIC 3145
How do I bet on the 2025 Toorak Handicap?
Bet online or via the latest iOS/Android apps with Ladbrokes.
The first step is to create an account at ladbrokes.com.au. The process is quick and easy!
Once you've created your account you can make a deposit via credit card, or any other of our secure payment methods. Next up, head to the racing page and find the race and runner that's right for you.
Which horse will win the 2025 Toorak Handicap?
The best way to pick which horse will win the Toorak Handicap is to take into account the form, assess the barriers, and consider the weight the horse will carry (among other factors). Check out ladbrokes.com.au in the lead up to the race for full form information.