Caulfield is set to come alive this Saturday with the running of the highly anticipated 2010 Caulfield Guineas Day, and as part of the action three Group 1 races will take place including the $350,000 Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m).
An impressive field of 15 gallopers will take to the track in the 2010 David Jones Toorak Handicap, including a number of very classy mares lead by odds-on favourite in the betting More Joyous.
The Gai Waterhouse-trained More Joyous is the form mare of the spring winning her three Sydney stars in succession this season including her most recent success in the Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m) at Randwick last Saturday.
A four-year-old daughter of More Than Ready, More Joyous is at the shortest odds through Sportsbet to win on Saturday currently paying $2.20.
A versatile runner that has continued to step up in distance and class, More Joyous is a favourite with the punters.
However having her first race in Victoria, the Caulfield track notoriously hard to handle first time round, and allocated a hefty topweight of 58kg, More Joyous is still not a certainty in the Toorak as no horse has carried 58kg to victory in the race since All Shot in 1972.
Also going against More Joyous is that no other runner in history has taken out the George Main Stakes – Toorak Handicap double in the same season.
Other top mares looking to beat the boys in the Toorak on Saturday include Bart Cummings’ Allez Wonder who won the race 12 months ago, Stocks Stakes winner Avienus, Peter Moody’s seven-year-old Ghostmilk and Response.
A great value bet could be Response, the Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra-trained Charge Forward four-year-old another very consistent runner that can adapt to all track conditions with ease.
Last start Response took out the Group 1 Rupert Clark Stakes at Caulfield and is paying generously at $9 to win on Saturday in just her second start over a mile.
Higher up the Toorak Handicap betting markets are Spacecraft paying $5.50 and $6.50 chance Drumbeats.
The Mick Price-trained Galileo four-year-old Spacecraft is another consistent horse having won three on the trot while Peter Snowden’s Bill Ritchie Handicap winner Drumbeats is drawn ideally in barrier seven.
Adding more interest to the Toorak field this year is Macau gelding Luen Yat Forever making their Australian debut, jumping from an inside gate two draw and having won the Macau Cup last start.
Set to jump at 12:30pm as Race 6 at Caulfield on Saturday, the Toorak Handicap joins the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) and the Group 1 Yalumba Stakes (2000m) as the headline races at the meeting.
For the hottest odds on the Toorak for Saturday, take a few minutes to sign up with Australia’s leading online bookie SportsBet today and enjoy a free $300 bet to get you started!
2010 David Jones Toorak Handicap Field, Barriers & Betting Odds
| No. | Horse | Trainer | Rider | Barrier | Weight | Handicapper Rating | Odds* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MORE JOYOUS (NZ) | Gai Waterhouse | Nash Rawiller | 10 | 58 | 116 | 2.20 |
| 2 | DRUMBEATS | Peter Snowden | Mark Zahra | 7 | 56 | 105 | 6.50 |
| 3 | LA ROCKET | Dale Sutton | Stephen Baster | 9 | 56 | 105 | 51.00 |
| 4 | GOLD SALUTE | Mark Riley | Mark Pegus | 12 | 55.5 | 104 | 51.00 |
| 5 | KIDNAPPED | Peter Snowden | Craig Newitt | 1 | 55.5 | 104 | 61.00 |
| 6 | LUEN YAT FOREVER | Pou Choi | Dwayne Dunn | 2 | 55.5 | 104 | 41.00 |
| 7 | SPACECRAFT | Mick Price | Damien Oliver | 13 | 55.5 | 104 | 5.50 |
| 8 | POOR JUDGE | Norm Hilton | Darren Gauci | 15 | 55 | 102 | 31.00 |
| 9 | CHASM | Heath Conners | Brad Rawiller | 14 | 54.5 | 101 | 11.00 |
| 10 | RESPONSE | Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra | Craig Williams | 11 | 54.5 | 107 | 9.00 |
| 11 | ALLEZ WONDER | Bart Cummings | Michelle Payne | 8 | 53.5 | 103 | 26.00 |
| 12 | AVIENUS | Mark Webb | Glen Boss | 5 | 53 | 100 | 21.00 |
| 13 | GHOSTMILK (IRE) | Peter G Moody | Luke Nolen | 3 | 53 | 100 | 26.00 |
| 14 | NO JURISDICTION | Danny O’Brien | James Winks | 4 | 53 | 91 | 81.00 |
| 15 | WE’RE GONNA ROCK | Mark Kavanagh | Michael Rodd | 6 | 53 | 82 | 26.00 |
*Odds provided by SportsBet and are subject to change
