Toff confirmed for Flemington

Rick Hore-Lacy placed a significant hurdle in front of rivals hoping to pinch a metropolitan win on Saturday when he confirmed star colt Toorak Toff would commence a Magic Millions campaign at Flemington."As long as the track is OK and we don't get a lot of rain in the next few days he'll be running," Hore-Lacy said."With 59 kilograms he's already got a heap of weight and I don't want to make it harder for him."Bound for the $1 million Magic Millions Guineas on January 15, Toorak Toff will start

"As long as the track is OK and we don't get a lot of rain in the next few days he'll be running," Hore-Lacy said.

"With 59 kilograms he's already got a heap of weight and I don't want to make it harder for him."

Bound for the $1 million Magic Millions Guineas on January 15, Toorak Toff will start in Saturday's Red Tempo Hcp (1000m) and have three runs over summer.

He will return to Flemington for a second-up run in the Group Three Standish Handicap (1200m) on New Year's Day.

The carefully-planned preparation gives the colt a two-week break between runs and Hore-Lacy is prepared should rain interrupt the schedule this weekend.

"If he does miss Saturday I'll just give him a gallop here on the Viscoride track, missing it won't disrupt him, he's pretty fit and very well," he said.

The flashy colt was last seen at Caulfield on December 4 in a track gallop with a workmate and impressed Hore-Lacy in his first public appearance since a luckless fourth as equal favourite in the Caulfield Guineas in October.

"It's hard not to get excited about him because he's already shown so much and I know he's improved again. Third-up into the Magic Millions race is ideal but I'd say at this stage that Squamosa will be the one to catch around the Gold Coast," Hore-Lacy said.

Craig Newitt will take the ride on Toorak Toff throughout the summer after Damien Oliver partnered the colt during the spring carnival, and Hore-Lacy is keen for Newitt to give Toorak Toff plenty of time to find his feet on Saturday.

"With the weight I'd hope he got back and ran on really well late in the race. I don't want Craig scrubbing his ears off first-up," he said.

Despite the improvement in his colt and the obvious class advantage over his rivals on Saturday, Hore-Lacy had a cautious word for any of Toorak Toff's followers keen to back the Group One winner first-up.

"I'd be surprised if he could win first-up over 1000 metres at Flemington against a field of tough, match-fit sprinters and I really think he'll run well without winning," he said.

"Second-up in the Standish might be his go though."