The Toorak Handicap is a Group 1 horse race held at the Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne every October. Forming part of the highly anticipated Spring Racing Carnival, the race is held on the Carnival’s Caulfield Guineas Day as an open handicap for horse’s three-years-old and up spanning 1,600 metres. The race is worth $350,000 and is one of three Group 1 races held at the Carnival with the Caulfield Guineas (1,600 metres) and Yalumba Stakes (2,000 metres) being the other two.
Toorak Handicap Information
- Date: October
- Carnival: Caulfield Spring Racing Carnival
- Racecourse: Caulfield Racecourse, Melbourne
- Distance: 1,600 metres
- Race Type: 3YO Over, Open Handicap
- Group Listing: Group 1
- Prize Money: $350,000
Toorak Handicap History
The Toorak Handicap, inaugurated in 1881 as a Principal race over eight furlongs, was first won by Josephine. In conjunction with Australia’s adoption of the metric system, he race converted to 1,600 metres in 1972, and in 1979 became a Group 1 race. The race was run over nine furlongs for one year in 1891. Originally known as the Toorak Handicap the name changed in 1981 to ‘The IXL’, then in 1985 to ‘The Elders Mile’ before returning to the Toorak Handicap in 1990.
