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Cliff Brown‘s flying four-year-old, Sepals, is firm favourite to secure a hat-trick this prep with the gun youngster chasing back-to-bac Group 1 wins in the Toorak Handicap 2025 on Saturday.
Melbourne is host to a bumper day of racing at Caulfield for Guineas Day with a trio of elite levels highlighting the card including the $1 million Toorak Handicap (1600m).
The mile event has drawn a final field of 11 with last start Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes winner Sepals heading the latest Toorak Handicap odds at $4.40 through Ladbrokes.com.au.
The ultra-consistent Calyx gelding is looking to retain his flawless strike rate at the Caulfield track and stretch his brilliance out to 1600m.
He is up over the distance for the first time since his game fourth to Feroce when only two lengths beaten at Flemington in the autumn’s Group 1 Australian Guineas and presents rock hard fit third-up and ready to fire.
At his latest he carried 52kg to victory from barrier 14 of 15 in the Sir Rupert and is now out to do the double for the first time since Trust In A Gust (2014).
Ace hoop Craig Williams rode Sepals in the Sir Rupert but it is Ethan Brown, aboard two back for the horse’s first-up win here, who has the ride this weekend from barrier 4 on 57kg.
Williams meanwhile will look to add to his Toorak trophy collection partnering the rails-drawn $18 roughie Athanatos for trainer Phillip Stokes.
Athanatos comes into the Group 1 on the back of a close third to Evaporate in the Group 3 Sandown Stakes (1500m) on September 27.
Evaporate presents as a notable danger occupying the current equal second line of Toorak Handicap betting at $6 to keep the wins coming.
The Lindsay Park trained Per Incanto four-year-old, runner-up across the Tasman in the inaugural The Kiwi slot race back in March, has an excellent 1600m record (4:3-0-1) and jumps from barrier six with Blake Shinn retaining the ride.
He carted 59kg to his narrow, confidence-boosting Group 3 win last time out and comes back to 58kg on the weekend.
The other $6 fancy is Chris Waller‘s airborne Snitzel mare Lazzura who is an early market mover chasing three straight wins as a four-year-old.
Fresh she beat With Your Blessing home at Randwick on a Heavy (10) track in the Group 3 Show County Quality before saluting again in a Good (4) at Flemington showing off her versatility in the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes with 57.5kg.
She heads to Caulfield for the first time now back to 56kg from a favourable gate five draw with leading jockey James McDonald continuing associations.
Waller chases his maiden Toorak Handicap triumph this season and also saddles-up Kiwi expat Leica Lucy from barrier 10 with Damian Lane aboard the potentially underrated $9 pop.
The classy Derryn mare won five straight across the Tasman last prep as a filly including the Group 1 NZ Oaks (2400m) before a narrow fourth under a length off the very nice Treasurethe Moment in the Group 1 ATC Oaks (2400m) in Sydney.
This campaign she’s had just the one run when far from disgraced placing fourth again this time in the Let’s Elope with 58.5kg.
She’ll relish getting up in trip now as a proven staying type and looks beautifully weighted with 54.5kg.
The other New Zealand Group 1 winner in the mix is the NZ Derby champ Willydoit lining up from the outside barrier (11) for Ciaron Maher.
Fourth in the Australian Derby in his Australian race debut over the autumn the now four-year-old son of Tarzino had his first start for Maher on September 6 when eighth to Pericles in Randwick’s Group 2 Tramway Stakes.
He had 58kg and jumped from barrier 15 that day before hitting the line with gusto.
Originally set to contest the Group 1 Epsom Handicap last weekend, Willydoit was a well-supported runner before being withdrawn having shown signs of soreness after a track gallop, prompting the stable to scratch him from the Group 1 mile at Randwick.
Willydoit, to be ridden by Ben Melham in the Toorak further south now, pays $16 and shapes up as one of the more appealing double-figure fancies for an upset.
Transatlantic for Brisbane’s Tony Gollan completes the single figure hopes at $7 with the five-year-old son of Snitzel coming off back-to-back seconds in Melbourne including his narrow loss in the Sandown Stakes when nearly getting the better of Evaporate.
The 2025 Toorak Handicap is set to run as Caulfield Race 7 at 3:50pm (AEDT) on the 10-race Caulfield Guineas Day card.
Toorak Handicap 2025 Results
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1st
6. Transatlantic (9)
J: Mark Zahra 56.5kg
T: Tony Gollan |
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2nd
3. Evaporate (6)
J: Blake Shinn 58kg
T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
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3rd
9. Leica Lucy (10)
J: Damian Lane 54.5kg
T: Chris Waller |
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4th
11. Athanatos (1)
J: Craig Williams 52kg
T: Phillip Stokes |
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5th
7. Lazzura (5)
J: James McDonald 56kg
T: Chris Waller |
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6th
10. Damask Rose (3)
J: Jamie Melham 54kg
T: Mark Walker |
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7th
2. Pinstriped (2)
J: Jamie Mott 58.5kg
T: Enver Jusufovic |
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8th
4. Feroce (8)
J: Billy Egan 58kg
T: Dominic Sutton |
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9th
1. Desert Lightning (7)
J: Luke Nolen 59kg
T: Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman |
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10th
5. Sepals (4)
J: Ethan Brown 57kg
T: Cliff Brown |
CHANCES ARE YOU’RE ABOUT TO LOSE.
For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.
