The Toorak Handicap is a 1600 metre (one mile) Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

n open handicap race for Thoroughbred

Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...

 horses aged three-years-old and upwards run at Caulfield Racecourse

Caulfield Racecourse

Caulfield Racecourse is one of Melbourne, Australia's best-known horse-racing tracks. Commonly known as "The Heath" by local racegoers, it is located eight kilometres from the Melbourne CBD, on the boundary of Caulfield and Caulfield East in Melbourne's south eastern suburbs...

 in Melbourne

Melbourne

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...

. The race takes place in early October as part of the Spring Racing Carnival in conjunction with the Caulfield Cup

Caulfield Cup

The Caulfield Cup, one of Australia's richest Thoroughbred horse races and the richest of its type in the world is held annually by the Melbourne Racing Club. The race is a handicap like the Melbourne Cup, which means that horses that compete in the Caulfield Cup are capable of running on the...

. Prizemoney is A$350,000.

Most horses entered in this race come via the Group 1

Group races

Group races are the highest standard of Thoroughbred horseraces in Australia. The Australian Pattern Committee recommends to the Australian Racing Board which races shall be designated as Group races...

 1400 metre Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, held three weeks earlier under the same handicap conditions at Caulfield, but 200 metres shorter. Like the Sir Rupert Clarke, the Toorak Handicap is generally won by a handy horse but not an elite one, as the prizemoney pales in comparison to other mile races in the carnival, such as the $1million Emirates Stakes

Emirates Stakes

The Emirates Stakes is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horserace held as part of the Melbourne Cup Carnival in early November. The race is over 1600 metres and is held at Flemington Racecourse...

, held at Flemington on the last day of the carnival, four weeks after the Toorak, or the $1million Railway Stakes

Railway Stakes (Australia)

The Railway Stakes is a WATC Group 1 1600 metre Thoroughbred horse race under handicap conditions. The race is held at Ascot Racecourse in Perth, Australia in November. Prizemoney was increased to $1 million in 2007.-Distance:...

, held at Ascot, Perth a fortnight after the Emirates Stakes.

Distance

• 1881 - 1890 held over 8 furlongs (approx. 1600 metres)
• 1891 held over 9 furlongs (approx. 1800 metres)
• 1892 - 1971 held over 8 furlongs (approx. 1600 metres)
• 1972 onwards held over 1600 metres.

Name

• 1881 - 1980 the race was known as the Toorak Handicap
• 1981 - 1984 the race was known as The IXL
• 1985 - 1989 the race was known as The Elders Mile
• 1990 onwards the race name reverted back to the Toorak Handicap

Past winners

• 2011 King Mufhasa
• 2010 More Joyous
• 2009 Allez Wonder
• 2008 Alamosa
• 2007 Divine Madonna
  Divine Madonna
  Divine Madonna was an Australian Thoroughbred racemare. She won four group one races, the 2006 Emirates Stakes, 2007 Queen of the Turf Stakes, 2007 Toorak Handicap and the 2007 Myer Classic. Divine Madonna had 26 race starts and only finished out of the top five runners twice in her career.She...
  
  
• 2006 Red Dazzler
• 2005 Barely A Moment
• 2004 Regal Roller
• 2003 Roman Arch
  Roman Arch
  This article is about Roman Arch who was an Australian bred racehorse that was foaled in 1998. Another Roman Arch was foaled in 1995 in New Zealand....
  
  
• 2002 Shot Of Thunder
• 2001 Show A Heart
• 2000 Umrum
• 1999 Umrum
• 1998 Marble Halls
• 1997 Penghulu
• 1996 Poetic King
• 1995 Sober Suit
• 1994 Oppressor
• 1993 Golden Sword
• 1992 Ready To Explode
• 1991 Comrade
• 1990 Ricochet Rosie
• 1989 Cole Diesel
• 1988 Planet Ruler
• 1987 Caledonian Boy
• 1986 Canny Lass
• 1985 King Phoenix
• 1984 Mr. Ironclad
• 1983 Showmeran
• 1982 Magari
• 1981 Penny Edition
• 1980 Torbek
• 1979 Manaroa
• 1978 Salamander
• 1977 Nunkalowe
• 1976 Visit
• 1975 Plush
• 1974 Leilani
  Leilani (horse)
  Leilani was a champion Thoroughbred racemare that was bred in New Zealand and raced in Australia. She won six Group One races and a total of 12 black type equivalent races, during her short racing career...
  
  
• 1973 Princess Eulogy
• 1972 All Shot
• 1971 Gunsynd
  Gunsynd
  Gunsynd was a champion Australian Thoroughbred racehorse who won 29 races and A$280,455 in prizemoney. In his seven starts over one mile he was only once defeated, by half-a-head in the Epsom Handicap....
  
  
• 1970 Tauto
• 1969 Crewman
• 1968 Tried And True
• 1967 Tobin Bronze
  Tobin Bronze
  Tobin Bronze was an Australian Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse who competed with great success during the 1960's.A chestnut son of Arctic Explorer from the Masthead mare Amarco he proved to be a crowd favourite due to his stunning good looks and winning 24 of his 44 Australian race starts.His...
  
  
• 1966 Galilee
  Galilee (horse)
  Galilee, was a bay Thoroughbred gelding who was foaled in 1963 at Trelawney Stud, Cambridge, New Zealand. He later became one of the most successful racehorses in Australia. Galilee was sired by the very good racehorse and sire, Alcimedes*, from the mare Galston by Balloch*...
  
  
• 1965 Ripa

• 1964 Nicopolis
• 1963 Nicopolis
• 1962 Gay Filou
• 1961 Anonyme
• 1960 Gabonia
• 1959 Smokey Jane
• 1958 Tudor Hill
• 1957 Mac's Amber
• 1956 Farquhar
• 1955 Harmonist
• 1954 Plato
• 1953 Desert Breeze
• 1952 Desert Breeze
• 1951 Jovial Lad
• 1950 Grey Boots
• 1949 Saxony
• 1948 Saxony
• 1947 Don Pedro
• 1946 Royal Gem
  Royal Gem
  Royal Gem was a versatile Thoroughbred racehorse that won 23 races ranging from 5 furlongs to 12 furlongs...
  
  
• 1945 Huntingdale
• 1944 The Bohemian
• 1943 Counsel**
• 1943 Burberry**
• 1942 Crojick
• 1941 Sun Valley
• 1940 Gold Salute
• 1939 Hilton
• 1938 El Golea / Ena (dead heat)
• 1937 The Trump
  The Trump (horse)
  The Trump was an Australian-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who won the Caulfield-Melbourne Cup double as well as two other principal races in 1937. He showed his versatility by winning races over distances of six furlongs to two miles...
  
  
• 1936 The Chanter
• 1935 Epigram / Journal (dead heat)
• 1934 Sir Simper
• 1933 Chilperic
• 1932 K. Cid
• 1931 Glenanton
• 1930 The Gay Mutineer
• 1929 Highland
• 1928 Kalloni
• 1927 Textile
• 1926 Abdera
• 1925 Metellus
• 1924 Soorak
• 1923 Sonora

• 1922 The Tyrant
• 1921 Stare
• 1920 Lord Setay
• 1919 St. Mira
• 1918 Prince Royal
• 1917 King's Bounty
• 1916 Rael Locin
• 1915 Miss Meadows
• 1914 Rathlea
• 1913 Valido
• 1912 Uncle Sam
• 1911 Motoa
• 1910 Sequarious
• 1909 Irishman
• 1908 Soultline
• 1907 True Scot
• 1906 Iolaire
• 1905 Dandalla
• 1904 Ossian
• 1903 F.J.A.
• 1902 Kinglock
• 1901 Bonnie Chiel
• 1900 Lochaber
• 1899 Alva
• 1898 Massinissa
• 1897 Paul Pry
• 1896 Hopscotch
• 1895 Mostyn
• 1894 Devon
• 1893 Titan
• 1892 Fortunatus
• 1891 Zalinski
• 1890 Precedence
• 1889 Maelstrom
• 1888 Bothwell
• 1887 Dufferin
• 1886 Middlemarch
• 1885 Mentmore
• 1884 Precious Stone
• 1883 Bar One
• 1882 Verdure
• 1881 Josephine

• • The 1943 race was run in two divisions