The 2018 Group 1 Memsie Stakes over 1400m at Caulfield on Saturday has attracted a first class group of weight for age gallopers with more than half of the eleven horse field already tasting Group 1 success.
The Lindsay Park trained Vega Magic is back to defend his Memsie Stakes crown after beating Black Heart Bart twelve months ago and has been installed as the hot favourite at Ladbrokes.com.au.
Black Heart Bart will be putting Vega Magic to the test again and the multiple Group 1 winner is one of three Darren Weir trained runners to line up in the first Group 1 race of the 2018 Melbourne Spring Carnival.
Weir’s other two Memsie Stakes runners are Humidor and Kings Will Dream who will be lining up against Group 1 winners Happy Clapper, Kementari and Grunt while the Team Hawkes trained Showtime showed that he is not far off a Group 1 victory with a fighting win on August 18 in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes over the same course and distance as this week’s contest.
We have analysed every horse in the field and our 2018 Memsie Stakes tips can be found below.
Happy Clapper
Happy Clapper is heading to Caulfield for the first time which can be a tricky experience for the Sydney trained horses. The Pat Webster trained eight year old is resuming from a spell after a very fruitful 2018 Autumn Carnival campaign that saw him collect two Group 1 trophies at Randwick in the Canterbury Stakes (1300m) and in the Doncaster Mile (1600m). Happy Clapper was spelled after running third to Winx in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) and has shown in the past that he can perform well fresh as he did with his first up win in the Canterbury Stakes. Has to be considered as a genuine chance.
Black Heart Bart
Black Heart Bart is the first of trainer Darren Weir’s three runners and is the winner of five Group 1 races, including the 2016 Memsie Stakes, but has been a long time out of the winner’s stall with his last victory being in the 2017 Group 1 Futurity Stakes over 1400m at Caulfield. The eight year old’s form has been patchy since but he did run second to Vega Magic in last year’s Memsie Stakes but has been well beaten at two runs this campaign. Struggling to find his best form.
Vega Magic
The Lindsay Park trained Vega Magic was the winner of the 2017 Memsie Stakes and has a great chance to record back to back victories in the first Group 1 race of the 2018 Melbourne Spring Carnival. Vega Magic scored a brilliant first up win with the blinkers on in the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes over 1200m at Caulfield on July 28 and he will be hard to beat again. The Lindsay Park Team of David and Ben Hayes and Tom Dabernig have decided to remove the blinkers and the six year old will race with the winkers back on.
Humidor
Humidor is the second of the Darren Weir runners and has had mixed form since running second to Winx in the 2017 Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley. Humidor did make up some ground at his first run back from a spell when eighth to Showtime in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes over 1400m at Caulfield on August 18 but will be at his best when he steps up in distance later in his Spring Carnival campaign.
Jungle Edge
Noted wet tracker Jungle Edge might be blessed with showers forecast for Melbourne for Thursday and Friday. The Mick Bell trained eight year old will ensure that there is plenty of pressure on up front but will find this class tougher than his last start sixth in the P.B. Lawrence Stakes. Only hope is if it’s a complete mud heap.
Dollar For Dollar
The Tony McEvoy trained Dollar For Dollar scored a first up win in the Group 3 Spring Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville on August 18 but looks out classed here.
Kings Will Dream
Kings Will Dream, Darren Weir’s third Memsie Stakes runner, put in an eye catching performance first up when fourth to Showtime in the P.B. Lawrence Stakes and will be running on from the back again. Kings Will Dream is heading towards the 2018 Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) later in the Spring and he will be at his best as he steps up in distance deeper into his preparation.
Kementari
Kementari was touted as a challenger to Winx in the Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m) at Randwick but the super mare cruised past him as if he was nailed to the inside fence. Kementari has the looks and his trainer James Cummings has the wraps on him but now he has to prove himself again against some handy Group 1 performers. Has each way claims if he can reproduce his Group 1 winning form of the Autumn.
Grunt
Grunt was the one of star three year olds during the 2018 Melbourne Autumn Carnival with a win in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington and handled himself well in weight for age company when fifth to Showtime in the P.B. Lawrence Stakes. Will be improved with that outing and will get the run of the race from the inside gate.
Showtime
The Team Hawkes trained Showtime kicked off the 2018 Spring Carnival with a gutsy second up win in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes over the same course and distance as the Memsie Stakes. Showtime also performed well in weight for age company as a three year old during the 2018 Sydney Autumn Carnival and has strong claims here at double figure odds at Ladbrokes.com.au
Oregon’s Day
Oregon’s Day is the only mare in the Memsie Stakes field and was rewarded for her consistent Autumn Carnival form with a win in the Group 2 A.D. Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast during the 2018 Queensland Winter Carnival. The Mick Price trained mare was beaten less than two lengths when fifth first up in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on August 18 but will find this opposition a lot tougher.