G1 NZB Memsie Stakes to be Hotly Contested

The first Group 1 race in Australia for the new season has attracted a star-studded field for the running of the Group 1 A$400,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield Racecourse on Saturday, the second leg of the New Zealand Bloodstock Caulfield Spring Weight-for-Age Championship.

Volkstok'n'barrell (NZ) contests the Group 1 NZB Memsie Stakes at Caulfield this Saturday.

A capacity field of 16 runners is set to compete in the Group 1 feature, with 12 runners who have performed at Group 1 level.

With the early scratching of Fawkner (Reset), the field is headed by three-time Group 1 winner Happy Trails (Good Journey), trained by Paul Beshara. The 2013 Group 1 WS Cox Plate runner-up finished second in last year’s NZB Spring WFA Championship and resumes in Saturday’s race with jockey Glen Boss aboard, starting from barrier 13.

Looking to add a fifth Group 1 win to his name is race-favourite Boban (Bernardini), winner of the Group 1 Doomben Ten Thousand Stakes two starts ago. The son of Bernardini finished fifth in last year’s edition of the Group 1 Memsie Stakes for rider Glyn Schofield, who will once again ride on Saturday, commencing from barrier 5 for Chris Waller.

Winner of the Group 1 Galaxy Handicap, Temple of Boom (Piccolo) is coming off a close third at his resuming run three weeks ago and finished fourth two starts ago in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap. Trained by Tony Gollan, jockey Mark Zahra takes the ride from barrier 9.

The first of three runners for Darren Weir is Dandino (Dansili), who last raced in the United Kingdom. Now permanently based Australia, he was runner-up in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup in 2013. Weir is also the trainer of Prince of Penzance (NZ) (Pentire), a winner of two stakes races, including the Group 2 Moonee Valley Cup. The son of Pentire will be kick-starting his spring campaign in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes, his first tilt at a Group 1 race.

Dandino will commence the race from barrier 3 with John Allen riding and Michelle Payne, the regular jockey for Prince of Penzance, will begin from barrier 17.

Group 1 Goodwood Handicap winner Smokin’ Joey (Encosta de Lago) disappointed in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes two weeks ago, which followed two stakes victories. The son of Encosta de Lago will commence from barrier 11 for jockey Chris Parnham and trainer Wez Hunter.

Another runner returning to this year’s event is the Group 1 performed Sertorius (Galileo) for trainer Jamie Edwards. A last start winner in the Group 3 Easter Cup, Sertorius has placed in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes and the Group 1 Sydney Cup. Jockey Ryan Maloney takes the ride from barrier 14.

The second Waller trained is Weary (Astronomer Royal), who originally raced in France and the United Kingdom before relocating to Waller’s stable at the start of last year. Weary will be looking to go one better after being runner-up on three occasions in Group 1 races. Craig Newitt has picked up the ride, drawing barrier 16.

One of four kiwi gallopers, Entirely Platinum (NZ) (Pentire), trained by Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes, is the winner of six races from his 20 starts including winning the Group 3 Sky High Stakes, and was runner-up to last year’s Group 1 Memsie Stakes winner, Dissident (Sebring), in the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes early this year. Starting from barrier 7, Dwayne Dunn takes the mount.

The Donna Logan trained Volkstok’n’barrell (NZ) (Tavistock) is undefeated in two runs over 1400m, including a victory in the Group 3 Bonecrusher Stakes. Having his first run as a four-year-old, the kiwi galloper was the winner of the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas this year. Four-year-olds have a great record in this race, winning seven of the past ten runnings. Jockey Blake Shinn has been engaged to ride the son of Tavistock, drawing barrier 12.

Group 1 Queensland Derby winner Magicool (Fastnet Rock) is having his first start since his Group 1 success. The son of Fastnet Rock will drop back to 1400m after spending his last seven starts over middle and staying distances. He will commence from barrier 6 for jockey James Winks, trained by Mark Kavanagh.

David Hayes and Tom Dabernig will saddle two contenders in Saturday’s race, Petrology (Fastnet Rock) and Rising Romance (NZ) (Ekraar). Backing up after contesting the first leg of the Championship is Petrology, who finished third two starts ago to race rival Smokin’ Joey in the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes. Winning over 1600m in the Group 2 Sandown Guineas last year, he will be ridden by Vlad Duric from barrier 2.

Rising Romance will be going head to head with former stablemate Volkstok’n’barrell. A winner of the Group 1 Australian Oaks victory when trained by Donna Logan, Rising Romance was runner-up in last year’s edition of the Group 1 Caulfield Cup. She will commence from barrier 10 for rider Michael Rodd.

From the stable of Peter Moody, Hi World (High Chaparral) has won his last three starts, all run at Randwick during the autumn carnival, picking up his first two stakes wins in the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes over 1600m and the Group 3 Frank Packer Plate over 2000m. The rider of his trio of wins, Kerrin McEvoy, will be aboard again for Saturday’s feature, starting from barrier 1.

Last start winner Setinum (Holy Roman Emperor) won at Caulfield two weeks ago in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes. Winner of three races, all of his wins have been at sprinting distance, including the Listed Bendigo Guineas. Trained by Shane Fliedner, the son of Holy Roman Emperor will be ridden by Jake Noonan from the widest barrier of 20.

Last season’s Group 1 Caulfield Cup winner and runner-up in the Group 1 WS Cox Plate Fawkner has been scratched giving Stratum Star (Stratum) a start in Saturday’s feature race.

Stratum Star, a winner of two stakes races, is the third runner for Weir and was Group 1 placed earlier in the year in the Group 1 Australian Guineas. Stratum Star will start from barrier 8 for jockey Ben Melham.

There are a further three horses looking to gain a spot in Saturday’s field should there be any more scratchings, in the order of Trevieres (Gold Away), Pressing (Sebring) and Charmed Harmony (Hussonet).

The winner of the Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes will be awarded 10 points, with points given back to eighth place. Racing for a total of A$1.4 million in prizemoney, the winner of the Championship is the horse that accumulates the highest tally of points over the four races and will receive trophies to the value of $15,000.

At the top of the current leaderboard for the NZB Caulfield Spring WFA Championship is Mourinho (Oratorio) sitting on 10 points after his victory in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes. To view the leaderboard, click here.

The New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes will be held in Race 8 and is scheduled to run at 4.45pm AEST. The full field can be viewed here.