Caulfield Racecourse is host to four Group 1 spring races on Saturday including a gun field of milers doing battle in the 2017 Toorak Handicap, a comprehensive form guide and betting preview for the possible Cox Plate lead-up race detailed below.

I Am A Star is the only last start winner on the 2017 Toorak Handicap form guide for Caulfield this weekend. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Due to run as Race 9 at 5:10pm (AEDT) on the bumper Ladbrokes Caulfield Guineas Day card, there is a full field of 18 plus an emergency engaged for this season’s Group 1 $500,000 Toorak Handicap (1600m).

The Toorak Handicap has been a happy hunting ground for punters in recent years with three of the past four favourites saluting, but it is a wide open affair this year.

Four runners are at single-figures in Toorak Handicap betting at Ladbrokes.com.au but there is no standout favourite.

Top honours now belong to the Chris Waller-trained dual Oaks winner Egg Tart, the mare firming in from $6 to $5.50 to atone after missing out on an Epsom Handicap run.

Of those that did line-up in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) in Sydney a fortnight ago, the fellow Waller-trained Tom Melbourne was the best behind the winner Happy Clapper.

The import finished runner-up and has been dubbed a perennial placegetter with that being his fourth second place finish on the trot this time in.

Tom Melbourne was originally battling for top spot in the Toorak Handicap odds with his younger stablemate, but has since eased out to $7 after the wide barrier draw.

Below we take a look at the full Toorak Handicap 2017 form guide, betting history and race statistics to see where the value is at before punters head to Ladbrokes.com.au.

2017 Toorak Handicap Form Facts & Betting Stats

• Last year’s Toorak Handicap winner was the Lindsay Park-trained He’s Our Rokkii (2016) who came off a lead-up Caulfield win, jumped from barrier one (of 12) and was ridden to victory on 55kg by Dwayne Dunn as the $2.50 favourite in betting
• The David Hayes-led Lindsay Park stable chase successive Toorak Handicap wins joining Robert Heathcote (2012-13) and Darren Weir (2014-15) this year with: #3 Seaburge ($41), #5 He Or She ($71), #12 Snitzon ($17), #14 Sovereign Nation ($18), #16 Petrology ($91) and #17 Jacquinot Bay ($51)
• Co-trainer David Hayes also won the Toorak Handicap back in 1988 with Planet Ruler
• The other previous Toorak Handicap winning trainers (since 1983) with a runner on Saturday are: Darren Weir chasing his third victory in four years with #1 Tosen Stardom ($12) and Robbie Laing with #13 So Si Bon ($14)

• Last year’s winning hoop Dwayne Dunn is out to ride successive Toorak Handicap winners for the first time since Glen Boss (2001-02) aboard #5 He Or She
• The other previous Toorak Handicap winning jockeys (since 1983) with a ride on Saturday are: Craig Newitt on #13 So Si Bon and three-time winning hoop Glen Boss on #4 Tom Melbourne ($7)
• Last year’s Toorak Handicap winning barrier (1) hadn’t produced a champion in the race before 2016 since Caledonia Boy (1987) and is drawn on Saturday by the emergency #19e Mask Of Time meaning #7 Turnitaround (2) will get the inside alley if they don’t gain a start
• Successive Toorak Handicap winners haven’t jumped from the same barrier since gate three produced Barley A Moment (2005) and Red Dazzler (2006)
• The most successful Toorak Handicap barrier (since 1983) producing five winners is barrier three drawn this year by #2 Kaspersky but belonging to #8 Comin’ Through (4) if the emergency comes out
• In the past decade four Toorak Handicap winners jumped from a double-digit barrier including two from gate 11
• Only two Toorak Handicap winners in the past decade came off a lead-up win
• #6 I Am A Star (Group 2 Stocks Stakes, 1600m, Moonee Valley, 29/09/2017) is the only last start winner in this year’s Toorak Handicap field
• She is out to join Alamosa (Group 2 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes 6^th in 2008) as the only Moonee Valley graduates since 1983 to win the Toorak Handicap

• The Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes has produced four of the past five Toorak Handicap winners including Trust In A Gust (2014) who did the double
• The Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes graduates in the race this weekend are: Mr Sneaky (2^nd), So Si Bon (3^rd), Sovereign Nation (4^th), Theanswermyfriend (5^th) and Tosen Stardom (6^th)

• In the past decade favourites in Toorak Handicap betting have saluted four times
• #9 Egg Tart ($5.50) is the firming favourite in this year’s Toorak Handicap odds
• #9 Egg Tart is out to be the first Toorak Handicap winning mare since More Joyous (2010)
• The other mares in the mix are #6 I Am A Star and #11 Omei Sword
• #1 Tosen Stardom (57.5kg) carries the top weight in this year’s Toorak Handicap
• Four of the past seven Toorak Handicap winners carted 58kg to victory
• Five four-year-olds have won the Toorak Handicap in the past decade; the 4YOs in the race this year are: #3 Seaburge, #6 I Am A Star, #8 Comin’ Through, #9 Egg Tart, #10 Mr Sneaky, #11 Omei Sword, #12 Snitzon, #13 So Si Bon, #15 Theanswermyfriend, #18 Wyndspelle and the emergency #19e Mask Of Time
• The horses with previous winning form at the Caulfield track are: #10 Mr Sneaky (3-2-1-0), #5 He Or She (9-1-2-1), #6 I Am A Star (7-1-2-0), #15 Theanswermyfriend (4-1-2-0) and #16 Petrology (16-1-2-2)
• The horses with the best winning record over the mile (1600m) distance are: #2 Kaspersky (17-9-2-1), #17 Jacquinot Bay (23-6-4-0), #5 He Or She (10-3-0-1), #6 I Am A Star (6-3-1-1), #9 Egg Tart (2-2-0-0), #16 Petrology (18-3-2-4), #8 Comin’ Through (3-1-0-1), #15 Theanswermyfriend (3-1-2-0), #14 Sovereign Nation (4-1-0-1) and emergency #19e Mask Of Time (6-1-1-2)
• The highest Win Rate of the field belongs to #9 Egg Tart (67%) followed by #2 Kaspersky (45%) and #8 Comin’ Through (40%)
• The best Place Rate of the field belongs to #9 Egg Tart (89%) followed by #10 Mr Sneaky (86%)

Stay tuned to Races.com.au for our inside Toorak Handicap 2017 betting tips, the full race form guide to be viewed below in the meantime courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.