Toorak Toff’s chances in Saturday’s Newmarket Handicap at Flemington appear to have increased after he produced a thrilling jump out this morning.
The four-year-old managed to outsprint the likes of Waratah’s Secret, Emerald Downs and Rock Classic in the 800 metre race.
Toorak Toff will be attempting to win the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap in his first-up start for the autumn, after having a four month spell following the spring carnival.
The Show A Heart entire last ran in the Group 1 Emirates Stakes in Melbourne in November, where he finished a disappointing 15th of 16 runners.
Since then, Toorak Toff has placed second in an 800 metre barrier trial at Cranbourne, as well as his win in today’s jump out.
He will be having his first start for new owner Anthony Mithen from Rosemont Stud, after he purchased a controlling share in the horse.
Mithen doesn’t feel a Newmarket win is out of Toorak Toff’s grasp.
“It was always our intention (to run him in the Newmarket first-up),” Mithen said.
“We’ve had lots of discussions about the horse and I think the jury has spoken and said this horse is best fresh and he’s a sprinting horse.
Mithen is also confident that they have found Toorak Toff’s ideal first-up distance in the Newmarket’s 1,200 metres.
“I think he proved that to all of us in the spring,” he said.
“We tried him over a mile a couple of times and he doesn’t stretch out that far.
“He’s a precocious Aussie sprinter and that’s why we are pretty excited to have him come to us at stud come September.
“It’s exciting times ahead and Saturday could be a crowning moment in his career.”
Toorak Toff has won six of his 17 race starts and has earned almost $1.3 million in prize money.
The promising stallion, who is currently trained at Caulfield by Rick Hore-Lacy, has won two previous Group 1 titles.
The most lucrative of these was the $1 million Golden Rose, which Toorak Toff won in 2010 as a two-year-old.
Toorak Toff’s performance in this weekend’s Newmarket Handicap will decide whether or not he travels to England in June to compete against Black Caviar in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot.
