Toorak Handicap

The Toorak Handicap is a Group 1 open handicap race held annually at Caulfield racecourse during the Melbourne Spring racing carnival in October. The race is run over a distance of 1600 metres and worth $350,000 in prizemoney. The 2011 Toorak Handicap was won by King Mufhasa from King's Rose with Luen Yat Forever third.

From 1981-84 the race was known as the ‘The IXL’ and then from 1985-89 the ‘The Elders Mile’ and from 1990 onwards it has been the Toorak Handicap.

The Toorak Handicap takes place at Caulfield racecourse on Guineas day which is the first day of the three-day Caulfield racing carnival and is one of three Group 1 races held on the day alongside the Caulfield Guineas and Yalumba Stakes.

The second day of the Caulfield carnival the following Wednesday features the Gr1 Thousand Guineas for fillies while the third and final day is the next Saturday which sees the running of the main feature race of the Caulfield carnival, the Gr1 Caulfield Cup.

Toorak Handicap info
Date:	Saturday 13th October 2012
Track:	Caulfield racecourse, Brisbane
Distance:	1600 metres
Race Type:	Open Handicap
Status:	Group 1
Prizemoney:	$350,000
2011 Winner:	King Mufhasa

The Toorak Handicap is one of the better mile races of the spring carnival and attracts good horses each year, although the race is better suited to seasoned sprinter milers rather than Cup staying types. A capacity field is usually assembled for the Toorak and barrier draws can play an important part, with those drawn out wide at a distinct disadvantage.

The Gr1 Sir Rupert Stakes at Caulfield is a handy lead-up race to this event and Barely A Moment (2005) and Regal Roller (2004) have managed to take out the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes & Toorak Handicap double in recent years.

Winners of this race tend to continue performing best in similar type handicap events around the same distance or slightly longer, up to 2000m, rather than the longer distances of the major cups.

King Mufhasa (2011) ran second in the Gr1 Windsor Park over 1600m at Hastings in New Zealand before winning this race and recent Toorak Handicap winners include More Joyous (2010) and Allez Wonder (2009).

Spring Carnival Guide
Poor Judge (3rd in 2011) went on to win the Gr3 Chatham Stakes on Derby Day at Flemington, while Gold Salute (2nd in 2009) ran third the Gr1 Emirates Stakes later in the spring and All American (8th in 2009) scored an easy victory in the same race.

Divine Madonna (2007) went on to win the Gr1 Myer Classic after winning this race and the previous spring won the Emirates Stakes on the final day of the Flemington carnival.

Barely a Moment (2005) and Regal Roller (2004) both won the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes prior to winning this event.

2011 Toorak Handicap result
1. $9.00 King Mufhasa 58.0 M Rodd
2. $4.80 King’s Rose 54.5 L Nolen
3. $6.50 Luen Yat Forever 54.0 N Hall

then followed
4. $21.00 Wall Street 57.0 D Oliver
5. $16.00 Dao Dao 55.5 D Beadman
6. $16.00 Woorim 55.5 D Browne
7. $31.00 Yosei 54.5 Ms M Payne
8. $18.00 Majestic Music 52.5 C Newitt
9. $7.00 Fast Clip 53.0 G Schofield
10. $9.50 Toorak Toff 58.0 C Symons
11. $101.00 Lord Pyrus 53.0 S Baster
12. $20.00 Dreamaway 52.5 K McEvoy
13. $12.00 Torio’s Quest 53.5 D Nikolic

Margins: Long Head, 1/2 head
Time: 1:36.29

Toorak Handicap recent winners & placegetters
Year	Winner	2nd	3rd	Time
2011	King Mufhasa	King's Rose	Luen Yat Forever	1:36.2
2010	More Joyous	We're Gonna Rock	Poor Judge	1:36.4
2009	Allez Wonder	Gold Salute	Rock Kingdom	1:35.0
2008	Alamosa	Rockwood	Pillar of Hercules	1:36.9
2007	Divine Madonna	Niconero	Wonderful World	1.37.3
2006	Red Dazzler	Rewaaya	Niconero	1.37.5
2005	Barely A Moment	Super Kid	Calveen	1.37.9
2004	Regal Roller	Osca Warrior	Infinite Grace	1.37.4
2003	Roman Arch	Fields Of Omagh	Umrum	1.36.0
2002	Shot Of Thunder	Umrum	Pernod	1.36.1
2001	Show A Heart	La Zagaletta	Shot Of Thunder	1.35.8
2000	Umrum	Go Flash Go	Crawl	1.36.4
1999	Umrum	Nina Haraka	Go Flash Go	1.36.0
1998	Marble Halls	Rustic Dream	Umrum	1.38.2
1997	Penghulu	Catalan Opening	Ravarda	1.35.2
1996	Poetic King	Scenic Royale	Shame	1.35.8
1995	Sober Suit	Seascay	Danarani	1.35.2
1994	Oppressor	Poetic King	Spring Theme	1.35.2
1993	Golden Sword	Never Undercharge	Azzurro	1.35.8
1992	Ready To Explode	Excited Angel	Prince Salleri	1.43.7
1991	Comrade	Livistona Lane	Black Sun	1.36.1
1990	Ricochet Rosie	Comrade	Cool Credit	1:37.2
1989	Cole Diesel	Glenview	Planet Ruler	1:36.0
1988	Planet Ruler	Hazy Pond	Our Westminster	1:35.3
1987	Caledonian Boy	Vo Rogue	Globetrotter	1:35.9
1986	Canny Lass	Lockleys Tradition	Federalism	1:36.2
1985	King Phoenix	Wise Call	Shifnal Prince	1:36.8
1984	Mr Ironclad	Riverdale	King Phoenix	1:36.1
1983	Showmeran	Ringtrue	French Current	1:36.4
1982	Magari	Avatar	Oriental Ruler	1:36.7
1981	Penny Edition	Silver Bounty	My Axeman	1:36.0
1980	Torbek	Consenting	Watney	1:39.6
1979	Manaroa	Marjoleo	Grey Sapphire	1:40.5
1978	Salamander	Crepellox	Hyperno	1:36.5
1977	Nunkalowe	Tulla Honey	Lady Blintz	1:37.4
1976	Visit	My Good Man	Military Road	1:42.5