Damask Rose to bounce back in Toorak Handicap
Richard Edmunds - Raceform • October 10th, 2025 3:00 PM • 3 min read
Nothing much went to plan for Damask Rose in her first Group One appearance three weeks ago, but her connections are keen to turn the page and give her another opportunity in Saturday’s Gr. 1 Toorak Handicap at Caulfield.
The Te Akau Racing mare is the winner of four races and more than $2.2 million, headed by big-money triumphs in last season’s Karaka Millions 3YO and NZB Kiwi. She produced an eye-catching late run into fifth in the 1200m Gr.3 Cockram Stakes in her Australian debut at Caulfield at the end of August, confirming herself as a live chance in the Gr. 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes over 1400m at the same venue three weeks later.
However, Damask Rose drew the outside gate among a 15-horse field for the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes. She got a long way back in the running and made up ground in the straight to finish seventh, 2.65 lengths from the winner Sepals. Her sectional times for the last 800, 600, 400 and 200m (45.59, 34.31, 23.09 and 11.85) were faster than the winner (46.39, 35.05, 23.45 and 11.94).
“She faced a very difficult task after drawing such a wide gate,” trainer Mark Walker told RaceForm on Tuesday. “She didn’t get the best run, but she still wasn’t beaten far. Under the circumstances, we didn’t think it was a bad performance.
“We see the Toorak as quite a nice target for her third-up. She’s had only one previous start at 1600m, which was when she won the Karaka Millions impressively, so we expect the distance to suit.
“We wouldn’t mind a little bit of rain, but there doesn’t seem to be much of that in the forecast. It might be quite a firm track.
“But she’s had a very good build-up to the race. She galloped particularly well on the course proper at Cranbourne this morning. I think we’ve got her right where we want her to be.”
Damask Rose will carry 54 kilograms in Saturday’s A$1 million feature and will have a change of rider.
“Mick Dee’s been suspended, so Jamie Melham will take over,” Walker said.
Damask Rose will attempt to become the fourth Karaka Millions 3YO winner since 2020 to win at Group One level in Australia, joining Probabeel (2020), Prowess (2023) and Orchestral (2024).
Damask Rose was rated a $13 chance in the TAB’s Toorak Handicap market on Tuesday. Sepals held $3.60 favouritism over equal second picks Evaporate and Lazzura at $5.50. Evaporate, a New Zealand-bred son of Per Incanto, was runner-up behind Damask Rose in the NZB Kiwi in March. He scored a smart last-start win in the Gr. 3 Sandown Stakes on September 27.
Two other New Zealand-breds were in single figures in the Toorak market – Leica Lucy at $6 and Feroce at $9. Leica Lucy was a standout filly in her homeland last season, stringing together consecutive victories in the Gr. 3 Eulogy Stakes, Gr. 3 Desert Gold Stakes, Gr. 2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic, Gr. 2 Lowland Stakes and Gr. 1 New Zealand Oaks.
Transferred into the stable of Chris Waller, the daughter of Derryn signed off her three-year-old season with a fourth in the Gr. 1 Australian Oaks. She filled the same position in her resuming run in the Gr. 2 Let’s Elope Stakes over 1400 metres at Flemington on September 13, catching the eye with a flying finish from the back of the field.
“She’s a very good horse, we know that,” Waller said. “She did a great job at her only start in Sydney in the Oaks, and that was the end of a very long prep, so she’s a beauty. She did a great job to come from where she did in the Let’s Elope.”
Feroce won the Gr. 1 Australian Guineas last season and was runner-up in the Gr. 1 Caulfield Guineas over the Toorak’s course and distance. The Super Seth gelding finished well for third in the Sir Rupert Clarke last month.
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