Toorak Handicap 2022

In a hurry? We’ve listed all the quick facts that you need to know about the Toorak Handicap:

The Toorak Handicap is a Group 1 race which takes place each year in October. The race in 2022 will be held on Saturday, October 8th, at Caulfield Racecourse. Looking back to the race in 2021, it was won by I’m Thunderstruck

The Toorak Handicap is a 1,600m Group 1 race held under handicap conditions. It has a total prize pool of $1,000,000 and many horses who compete in the race go on to feature in the Cantala Stakes, Golden Eagle or Empire Rose, depending on each horse’s age and sex.

Some of the greats of the turf have won the Toorak Handicap, which is no surprise considering its rich history. Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup winner Galilee won the race in 1966 and a year later two-time Cox Plate winner Tobin Bronze claimed victory. More recently we’ve seen the likes of Divine Madonna and More Joyous cross the line in first.

There have been five runners who have won the Toorak Handicap – Caulfield Cup double. The first to do it was The Trump in 1937, however, no horse has done it since Leilani in 1974.

Darren Weir had experienced great success in the Toorak Handicap before he was banned from the sport. He trained four winners between 2014 and 2018, with the David Hayes-trained He’s Our Rokkii spoiling a potential five-peat in 2016.

Given the 2021 race has just happened and we now have another year to wait, the 2022 field is not set! Be sure to read on below to get all of the information you need to know on the history and formlines for the race, or alternatively you can chat to The Shark to get the best tips for every day!

The Toorak Handicap is a 1,600 meter Australian Group 1 race that brings some of the best sprinters in the country to Caulfield Racecourse in Victoria. Our expert tipsters will put together a short list of Toorak Handicap tips to look out for in the leadup to the big race.

Given nominations are yet to be accepted for the 2022 Toorak Handicap, it is hard to provide any updates at this time. However, as the Spring Carnival gets going, the horses that are targeting this race will become clearer and we will be able to provide you with updates. If you are after Toorak Handicap horse tips, then we will keep you informed with which horses are likely to be running, so you can place your futures bets with confidence!

We will list The Sharks’ Toorak Handicap best tips for the race this year closer to the time of the race. Make sure you check back on this page for updates!

Toorak Handicap Tips From Experts

Our tips are not out for the Toorak Handicap in 2022 as it is too far out from the event. But the good news is that when the final field for the Toorak Handicap is announced, we will provide guidance on each and every runner in the 2022 Toorak Handicap.

You will find all this information below, when it becomes available. Stay tuned, or alternatively you can chat to The Shark to get the best tips for every day!

Like many of the top Group 1’s in the Spring Racing Carnival, the Toorak Handicap has a mixed betting history and there are a lot of important factors to consider before betting at Caulfield.

Make sure you have a read on below before you place your bets:

Should I Bet On The Favourite in the Toorak Handicap?

Despite the quality of runners and the size of the fields, the Toorak Handicap has actually been relatively kind to punters in recent years. Between 2010 and 2021, six favourites have passed the post first and in five of the past six meetings, the winners have had starting prices of $10 or less.

Although history would suggest that the favourites ride well a the Toorak Handicap, large upsets are also not uncommon with the likes of Mr Quickie ($21 in 2020), Allez Wonder ($41 in 2009) and Fierce Impact ($18 in 2019) all winning the race at long odds. Despite this, I’m Thunderstruck won as $3.20 favourite in 2021, with only three other horses jumping with single-figure odds.

Is Previous Form in the Toorak Handicap a Good Indicator of Future Success?

Like any race, the form and success of a horse entering the Toorak Handicap is important. When looking at the previous winners of the Toorak Handicap, something that is a common trend is their lead up form in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes.

This race has produced more recent Toorak Handcap winners than any other alternative lead-up, with seven winners in the last nine meetings. This was true yet again in 2021, with I’m Thunderstruck coming third in the Sir Rupert Clarke before winning the Toorak Handicap, so be sure to keep an eye on the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes when accessing the Toorak Handicap field.

Gender

A good way of filtering through your Toorak Handicap top bets every year is to start by ruling out almost all of the mares in the field. We do not mean to discriminate based on the gender of the horse, however between 2000 and 2021 only three mares have won the Toorak Handicap, with More Joyous being the most recent winner back in 2010.

In saying that, Tofane carried top weight in 2021 and finished second, within a length of I’m Thunderstruck. This shows that if the mare is good enough and has conditions to suit, they can run a big race and have a chance at winning.

Weight

Weight is something to strongly consider when it comes to horse racing. However, punters should be aware of the fact that despite it’s previous perception of being a light weights race, the Toorak Handicap has boasted several recent winners that are carrying 58kgs or more.

This includes winners such as Mr Quickie (2020), Lucky Hussler (2015), Solzhenitsyn (2012), King Mufhasa (2011) and More Joyous (2010). With this in mind, bettors should not automatically cross off a horse that is carrying extra weight.

In saying that, I’m Thunderstruck won with limit weight (52kg) in 2021, benefiting from his main rivals, and those who finished around him in the Sir Rupert Clarke, having to carry more weight.

Age

Over the last 10 years, since 2012, horses aged four, five and six have shared success in the Toorak Handicap, winning three each. However, when looking at the last 20 years, since 2002, four-year-olds have the slight edge, winning nine of those 20 years, while five-year-olds have won eight over that stretch.

I’m Thunderstruck won in 2021 as a four-year-old and then went on to contest the Golden Eagle later in the Spring.

Toorak Handicap Best Bets

Our tips are not out for the Toorak Handicap in 2022 as it is too far out from the event. But the good news is that when the final field for the Toorak Handicap is announced, we will provide guidance on each and every runner in the 2022 Toorak Handicap.

You will find all this information below, when it becomes available. Stay tuned, or alternatively you can chat to The Shark to get the best tips for every day!

As the Toorak Handicap is one of Australia’s most prestigious mile races, bookies look to release odds for the race several months prior to the field being set. All horses that are likely to run in the upcoming Toorak Handicap are given odds by bookmakers so punters can participate in what is known as futures betting.

Once the bookies release the 2022 Toorak Handicap odds, they will obviously fluctuate frequently in the lead up to the race, especially when we have a better idea of which horses will be targeting the race and their form leading into the race.

Punting early on these markets can find you a favourite at prices of $10 or more, which will retain you a much higher return on investment. However, there is increased risk with doing this and you should be well aware.

Depending on when you place a futures bet on the 2022 Toorak Handicap, your horse may not even run but you won’t get your money back, occurring when the market is ‘All-In’ or closer to the starting date. If you are betting when it says ‘Before Noms’, you have the security of receiving your money back if your horse doesn’t run.

The 2022 Toorak Handicap odds are out, and at the moment both Illation and Western Empire are on the first line of betting, at $6.00. Here are the current odds, courtesy of Neds, as of mid-August:

As one of the leading mile races in the Spring Racing Carnival, there should be no surprise that the Toorak Handicap field is normally very strong. It is also normally large, and its size can make it difficult for punters to find a winner.

With the race yet to be run, we still don’t know what the Toorak Handicap results for 2022 will be! However, check back in after the race and we will have all of the information on how the big race went and what the results are.

Looking back at the race in 2021, I’m Thunderstruck was able to find gaps that weren’t there to burst home and finish ahead of Tofane and a fast-finishing Superstorm.

Jye McNeil had one of the best rides of the day and of his career, getting squeezed between horses on multiple occasions but keeping his cool and waiting for the right gap to present itself. He didn’t actually get a clean line to the finish until there was 250m left but that was all he needed, bursting past the front half of the field.

Tofane settled up on the pace, one back on the fence. She had the perfect run and Craig Williams waited for a gap before bursting home on the inside. Ultimately, the fact that she was spotting 6kg to the winner meant that she couldn’t keep up in the home straight.

Superstorm had a spectacular run for third, settling last in the running and spotting the winner three to four lengths around the bend. He then had to peel wide, being the widest in the straight and powered home to finish third, going down by 1.5 lengths.

You’ve read the words, now watch the video! Have a squiz below at the 2021 Toorak Handicap:

Toorak Handicap Winners

The results for the upcoming Toorak Handicap are not yet available, but in the meantime, you can have a look below at all the recent past winners: