Horse Racing

Rick Hore-Lacy’s last-start Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes winner Toorak Toff headlines a classy list of gallopers that have been nominated for the Toorak Handicap 2011 this Saturday, the son of Show A Heart to attempt back-to-back elite level wins on way to the 2011 Cox Plate.

Toorak Toff broke a 13 month drought winning their first race since last year’s Golden Rose with an upset success in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on September 24.

Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes winner Toorak Toff will back up in Saturday's Toorak Handicap 2011

They are set to return to the track for Caulfield Guineas Day this Saturday, Toorak Toff equal 58kg top-weight with in-form Kiwi galloper King Mufhasa in the $350,000 Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m).

Twenty-two horses make up the 2011 Toorak Handicap nominations that were released by Racing Victoria today.

Among them are a number of middle-distance stayers out to put their $3 million Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) claims on the line.

In the Cox Plate 2011 betting markets at Luxbet Toorak Toff is a $41 outsider, a price that is certain to firm if they manage a Toorak Handicap victory.

Meanwhile, the Stephen McKee-trained seven-year-old Mufhasa won the Group 1 Challenge Stakes (1400m) first-up in New Zealand in August and looked in great form when running second to Cox Plate favourite Jimmy Choux in the Group 1 Windsor Park Plate (12600m) at Hastings last-start on September 17.

Following Toorak Toff and King Mufhasa in the Toorak Handicap 2011 weights are three horses on 57kg:

• The Peter Snowden-trained Pinwheel
• Neville Parnham’s Turnbull Stakes third placegetter from Sunday Playing God who is also nominated for the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m) this weekend
• Jeff Lynds-trained Kiwi galloper Wall Street who won the Emirates Stakes last Melbourne Cup Carnival

Twelve months ago Gai Waterhouse’s heroic mare More Joyous was the Toorak Handicap winner, backing up next-start to finish a game fifth behind So You Think in last year’s Cox Plate.

This year Waterhouse has just one Toorak Handicap entry in Fast Clip, the four-year-old son of Snippetson coming off a second behind stablemate King Lionheart in the Group 2 Shannon Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on September 24.

The shortest-priced Toorak Handicap hopefuls in the current Cox Plate odds at Luxbet is Torio’s Quest at a quote of $19.

Brett Partelle’s Queensland Guineas winning Oratorio gelding resumed with an eye-catching first-up second, defeated a mere nose by Master Of Design, in the Group 2 Sebring Sprint (1300m) at Rosehill on September 10 and is on-track for their second-up run in the Toorak.

Sebring Sprint winner Master Of Design has also been nominated for the Toorak Handicap this Saturday, the Redoute’s Choice six-year-old having run a solid third in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at their most recent run.

Other big name 2011 Toorak Handicap Nominees include triple Group 1 winning mare Yosei, Robert Heathcote’s Brisbane raider Woorim, Peter Moody’s former New Zealand-trained mare King’s Rose who is out to maintain her undefeated record down under and last Saturday’s Blazer Stakes winner Lady Lynette.

Acceptances for the 2011 David Jones Toorak Handicap will be released on Wednesday and published here first at Races.com.au so bookmark this site.

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Toorak Handicap 2011 Nominations & Weights