Toorak Handicap 2025 Betting Tips - Feroce & Damask Rose the Main Threats to Sepals

Alex Marsh

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Last updated: Wed 08 Oct 2025 12:21

Alex Marsh 08 Oct 2025

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Feroce is the top each-way bet for the 2025 Toorak Handicap
Sepals remains a strong contender despite a weight rise
Damask Rose offers value and potential for improvement

Expired

Can Sepals complete a hat-trick? (Getty)

A competitive field of 11 has been confirmed for the 2025 Toorak Handicap, with Sepals, Lazzura and Evaporate leading a deep line-up of proven milers.

2025 Toorak Handicap Tips
2025 Toorak Handicap - Field & Odds

Run over 1600 metres at Caulfield, Saturday’s Group 1 shapes as one of the most even betting races of the spring.

2025 Toorak Handicap Tips

2025 Toorak Handicap Best Bet - Feroce

Feroce looks to be targeting the Toorak as his third-up grand final, and his two lead-up runs have provided the right foundation. He resumed over 1100m in a fast-run affair and boxed on well without threatening, before again chasing gamely second-up when third in another strongly run Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes.

Both races this preparation have been run at genuine tempo, and he’s been hitting the line with purpose each time. Now rising to 1600m, the distance of his Australian Guineas victory earlier in the year, he gets back to a trip that suits ideally.

The four-year-old entire has always profiled as a horse best suited to a mile, and with two solid conditioning runs behind him, he looks ready to peak on the day that matters.

With race fitness and conditions to suit, Feroce shapes as an excellent each-way chance in another competitive Group 1 mile.

2025 Toorak Handicap Next Best Bet - Sepals

The only real query around Sepals is the rise in weight, carrying 57kg after winning the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes with just 52kg. Despite that impost, he remains a strong and genuine galloper who continues to progress with each preparation.

His Rupert Clarke win was better than the margin suggests — he sat up on a strong tempo, absorbed pressure throughout, and still found plenty late while most of the on-speed brigade faded. It was the performance of a quality animal.

The gelding has now won five of seven starts, and his overall profile indicates he thrives deeper into his campaign. He’s unbeaten at Caulfield and proven adaptable in both tempo and pattern.

While the weight rise presents a new test, Sepals again looks poised to run well and should take holding off if he gets the right run up front.

2025 Toorak Handicap Value Bet - Damask Rose

Damask Rose has made a promising start to her Australian career and looks one of the more interesting runners at value. The 1200m of the Cockram Stakes proved a little sharp for her first-up, yet she still found the line strongly from the rear.

She was again forced to settle back from a wide draw in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, and while unable to threaten the winner, she worked home respectably for a midfield finish. That run was better than it appears given the pattern of the race and how difficult it was to make ground.

The New Zealand mare’s previous form showed she improves significantly as her preparation deepens, and her closing sectionals second-up hinted that another step forward is imminent.

Her only defeat last campaign came second-up before posting consecutive wins, including a 1.5-length victory over Evaporate, who is around half her quote here. Third-up now and fitter again, Damask Rose appeals as the value play in a deep edition of the Toorak.

2025 Toorak Handicap - Field & Odds

No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Win
1	Desert Lightning (NZ)	Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman	Luke Nolen	7	59kg	$19
2	Pinstriped	Enver Jusufovic	Jamie Mott	2	58.5kg	$31
3	Evaporate (NZ)	Ben, Will & JD Hayes	Blake Shinn	6	58kg	$6
4	Feroce (NZ)	Dominic Sutton	Billy Egan	8	58kg	$14
5	Sepals	Cliff Brown	Ethan Brown	4	57kg	$3.90
6	Transatlantic	Tony Gollan	Mark Zahra	9	56.5kg	$6.50
7	Lazzura	Chris Waller	James McDonald	5	56kg	$5.50
8	Willydoit (NZ)	Ciaron Maher	Ben Melham	11	56kg	$16
9	Leica Lucy (NZ)	Chris Waller	Damian Lane	10	54.5kg	$9
10	Damask Rose (NZ)	Mark Walker	Jamie Melham	3	54kg	$12
11	Athanatos	Phillip Stokes	Craig Williams	1	52kg	$18