Run over 1600 meters at Caulfield racecourse is the Group 1 Toorak Handicap, which takes place this weekend on Caulfield Guineas Day.
The race was first run in 1881 and has been won by some of our best middle-distance horses, including Galilee (1966), Gunsynd (1971) and More Joyous (2010).
Because the race is run under handicap conditions, it is always a great betting race, and we have gone through every runner in the 2025 Toorak Handicap below.
Don’t forget to check out our The Punters’ Playbook: Caulfield Spring Carnival Deep Dive for the inside word on the jockeys, trainers and races to watch over the following months!
1. Desert Lightning (7) – Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman
Bet Now: $17.00 (at time of publish)
Finished two lengths off War Machine in the Group 1 Stradbroke during the winter and then took out the So You Think Stakes at The Valley second up this campaign.
Was far from disgraced behind Sir Delius at Caulfield last time out but this is a big ask with the top weight.
2. Pinstriped (2) – Enver Jusufovic
Bet Now: $31.00 (at time of publish)
Is a Group 1 winner here at Caulfield when he won the Memsie Stakes last year but is unplaced in his last seven starts.
Was cramped for room at a vital stage in the Sir Rupert Clarke last start but does meet the winner of that race, Sepals, 3kg better at the weights.
Drawn well and wouldn’t surprise if he ran into a place.
3. Evaporate (6) – Ben, Will & JD Hayes
Bet Now: Evaporate ($6.00 at time of publish)
Beaten less than a length in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas on this day 12 months ago and hit the line well in his first start as a four-year-old in the P.B Lawrence first up.
Led all the way in the Sandown Stakes second up, fighting off Transatlantic in the dying stages of the race over 1400m.
Has to carry a big weight but he has drawn fairly.
4. Feroce (8) – Dominic Sutton
Bet Now: $13.00 (at time of publish)
Just missed in the Caulfield Guineas last year but came out and won the autumn equivalent in the Australian Guineas.
Unsuitable over 1100m first when unplaced but was a much-improved performance in the Sir Rupert Clarke at his next outing, finding the line nicely into third.
Will be ready to peak now and meets Sepals better at the weights.
5. Sepals (4) – Cliff Brown
Bet Now: $3.60 (at time of publish)
Put together three wins in a row to start the calendar year before finishing fourth behind Feroce in the Australian Guineas.
Couldn’t have been any more impressive when showing an excellent turn of foot to win first up and then sat just off the speed and pounced in the straight to win the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke two weeks ago.
The timing of his sprint was perfect in that event and the fact that he has to carry 5kg more has me concerned about taking the short quote.
6. Transatlantic (9) – Tony Gollan
Bet Now: $7.00 (at time of publish)
Raced wide without cover in the Stradbroke Handicap when jumping from barrier 17 but still finished just over four lengths from the winner War Machine.
Has been beaten by the barest of margins in both runs so far this campaign behind Cafe Millenium and Evaporate.
This is another step up in grade now but he’s going well enough to feature in the finish.
7. Lazzura (5) – Chris Waller
Bet Now: $6.00 (at time of publish)
A mare in terrific form who comes into this Group 1 event on the back of two wins from two starts this campaign.
Dominated her rivals at Group 3 level first up and then held on in the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes last time out with a wall of horses charging late.
She won the Group 2 Phar Lap Stakes third up during her autumn campaign, but is unplaced from two attempts at 1600m.
8. Willydoit (11) – Ciaron Maher
Bet Now: $17.00 (at time of publish)
The Ciaron Maher trained four-year-old has an excellent winning strike rate of four wins from eight career starts including the Group 1 New Zealand Derby in March.
He produced the best closing sectionals of the race when resuming in the Group 2 Tramway Stakes to finish 3.5 lengths off the winner and he is two from two over the mile.
Might not be the most likely winner but he is a great each way play.
9. Leica Lucy (10) – Chris Waller
Bet Now: $9.00 (at time of publish)
Another Kiwi with an excellent winning record of six wins from nine career starts including the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks in March.
Stalked Treasurethe Moment in the Australian Oaks and while she couldn’t quite go with that star filly, she was beaten less than a length into fourth.
Showed her slick turn of foot first up this spring in the Let’s Elope Stakes and meets that horse 2.5kg better at the weight scale here.
This is not only one of the better bets on the entire card, but I think she can win the Golden Eagle if Waller goes that way with her.
10. Damask Rose (3) – Mark Walker
Bet Now: $14.00 (at time of publish)
Four from nine in New Zealand including a couple at Listed level before venturing west for the spring.
Hasn’t been disgraced in both starts so far and rises 2kg on his seventh-place finish in the Sir Rupert Clarke.
Place hope.
11. Athanatos (1) – Phillip Stokes
Bet Now: $18.00 (at time of publish)
Racing consistently at a lower level but found plenty of ground late along the fence behind Evaporate in the Sandown Guineas.
First go in Group 1 company but has been placed in 15 of his 17 career starts.
SELECTIONS
- 1st: No. 9 Leica Lucy
- 2nd: No. 8 Willydoit
- 3rd: No. 4 Feroce
- 4th: No. 7 Lazzura