Toorak Toff will make his return to racing in The Goodwood
Toorak Toff will make his return to racing in this Sunday’s The Goodwood after undergoing an operation to correct his roaring problem.
Roaring, also known as laryngeal hemiplegia, is a condition that causes paralysis of 80% to 90% of the throat, a number that worsens during exercise.
The operation, which only has a 65% success rate, was designed to restore the airways that had collapsed on the left side of the throat.
Toorak Toff’s trainer, Rick Hore-Lacy, first noticed his talented young horse had a problem after he won the Golden Rose Stakes last August.
“He came back to scale after winning the Golden Rose blowing like a gale, which indicated he wasn’t fit,” Hore-Lacy said.
“But that didn’t make any sense.”
Despite being given the vet’s approval after the race, Toorak Toff’s condition slowly worsened.
“He was making a loud breathing noise which wasn’t a whistling noise,” Hore-Lacy said.
“He’d slowly deteriorated and after that I got him scoped again.”
While his first intentions were to sell Toorak Toff as a stallion prospect, the trainer soon realised that was the least profitable option.
“By the time I looked at the figure and worked out my net share, by the time I got paid I wouldn’t have had any money as I had spent it on yearlings,” he said.
“If I sold him I would have had no horse and no money. I thought I’d rather give him another chance to win stakemoney and if we got him right he would be worth more anyway.”
Hore-Lacy is now confident that Toorak Toff’s roaring days are behind him.
“He’s had two good jump outs at Caulfield and in his last one he defeated a smart horse,” he said.
“I know the operation can be hit and miss, but at this stage the evidence is there for me to believe it has been a success.”
The three-year-old has a perfect record at Morphettville Racecourse, where he will run in his first race since his operation on Sunday.
“He’s had two starts in Adelaide for two wins over 1200m,” Hore-Lacy said.
“I am sure he will run a big race.”
