The Toorak Handicap is always an exciting and open contest, and fifteen horses will step out over a mile at Caulfield on Saturday.
Not to spruik my bets (but actually, because it’s my job), I’ve been fortunate enough to find each of the last five winners of this race, with highlights including Tosen Stardom in 2017, and of course my boy Fierce Impact last year.
Toorak Handicap – Winner
No. 4 I Am Superman – Bet Now: $8.50
I thought that I Am Superman would be tough to beat in an Epsom Handicap should he have gone that way, and I certainly think that he is up to winning the Toorak Handicap.
The five-year-old son of Footstepsinthesand clearly needed his first prep in Australia to acclimatize, because it is fair to say that he has found career-best form this time, winning over 1400m here first-up before repeating that effort and result in the Group 2 Shannon Stakes in Sydney, last time out.
Fitter third-up, out to the mile and drawn ideally, the $8 available for him at publish looks an outstanding bet.
Toorak Handicap – 2nd
No. 13 Junipal – Bet Now: $4.80
Junipal is another horse that is seeking a hat-trick of wins when he steps out in the Toorak Handicap.
The five-year-old son of Reset has been a great horse for the Maher & Eustace stable throughout his career, and he seems to get better with each preparation and start.
He tuned up with a fair effort over 1400m at here at Caulfield when resuming and has won each of his last two, including a handicap over 1700m here last time out.
The small drop in trip won’t be a problem, he’s weighted well and it looks to be a good Group 1 target for him.
Toorak Handicap – 3rd
No. 1 Mr Quickie – Bet Now: $14.00
He has been charged with carrying a 59kg topweight, but Mr Quickie has a class edge over a lot of his rivals in the Toorak Handicap, and he looks to be the value in the field at $14.
The Shamus Award gelding won the Queensland Derby most notably in 2019, and while he hasn’t been able to scale those heights again, he has typically only raced in exceptionally strong fields.
He resumed this time for second behind Behemoth on the Memsie and finished down the order in the Underwood a fortnight ago, but I think that fitter third-up, from an inside draw and dropping in class, he could be right in the finish.
Toorak Handicap – 4th
No. 15 Buffalo River – Bet Now: $3.90
Buffalo River has opened the favourite in Toorak Handicap betting and while I don’t think that he is as good as some of these horses, he’ll certainly have conditions to suit.
The Mike Moroney-trained gelding ended his autumn prep with a couple of lovely wins over 1400m at Caulfield and Sandown, and he resumed this time for a half-length second behind the talented Windstorm here a fortnight ago.
He’s drawn an absolute peach in barrier 5, Craig Williams jumps into the saddle, and he takes 6kgs from Mr Quickie.
Toorak Handicap Suggested Bets
- 2 Units E/W #4 I Am Superman
- Boxed Trifecta of the selections above