NZB Sponsor Epic Memsie Clash

New Zealand Bloodstock's first sponsorship of the season takes place at Caulfield on Saturday with an epic clash in the Group 2 New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m).

The 112^th running of the A$201,000 Group 2 event will see a field of 14 take the line. Of the 14, nine have won at elite Group 1 level while the field's combined career earnings is in excess of an impressive A$20.2 million.

Amongst them there are six NZB graduates, giving the Kiwis a strong chance to put in a top showing early in the season following a decade-best record of stakeswinners in Australia last season.

Training legend Bart Cummings has made no secret of his affection for the Kiwi product, with his Cox Plate winner So You Think (NZ) one of five starters for him in the feature event and heading the New Zealand line-up.

Star son of High Chaparral, So You Think claimed the Group 1 A$3,000,000 Cox Plate in 2009 as well as the Group 3 A$250,000 Gloaming last season, with the New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes his first foray on the track since November. A Karaka yearling graduate, So You Think was purchased by DGR Thoroughbreds for $110,000 from Windsor Park Stud and is raced by Dato Tan Chin Nam & Tunku Ahmad Yahaya.

Another of Bart's New Zealand starters is also part-owned by Dato Tan Chin Nam, with Brightnight (Savabeel x Belle Nuite) taking to the track for the first time this season. Purchased by Bart for $70,000 at the 2008 Karaka Premier Sale from Te Mania Thoroughbreds, the rising four-year-old has had just one win from his seven outings, coming home fifth at his last start in the Group 1 A$500,000 Queensland Derby in June.

Seasoned campaigner Master O'Reilly (O'Reilly x Without Remorse) better suited to more ground nevertheless brings a wealth of experience to the race. A graduate of NZB's 2004 South Island Sale - bought by Liam Sutcliffe Holdings for $75,000 - the Danny O'Brien-trained seven-year-old has amassed earnings of $2,963,400 including a victory in the Group 1 A$2,544,000 Caulfield Cup (2400m) in 2007.

After a campaign last season that saw Red Ruler (Viking Ruler x Ransom Bay) notch up three Group wins, including the Group 2, $250,000 Wellington Cup and Group 2, $125,000 Auckland Cup, the six-year-old will be looking to emulate that performance for the new season. Red Ruler was purchased for $60,000 by trainer, John Sargent, at the 2006 Karaka Premier Sale from Trelawney Stud.

Four-year-old son of Zabeel, Zabrasive (ex Danasia), includes the Group 1 A$500,000 Rosehill Guineas amongst his three wins from just seven career starts. Trained by John O'Shea he has amassed earnings of $436,050 to date. Also from the Karaka ring, Zabrasive was purchased by Storm Thoroughbreds Pty Ltd for $95,000 at the 2008 Karaka Premier Yearling Sale from Haunui Farm.

Bart's third Karaka graduate starter is the Australian bred Moatize (Danehill Dancer x Shezabeel) who was purchased from Hallmark Stud for $105,000 at 2006 Premier Yearling Sale. The six-year-old claimed the Group 3 A$250,000 VRC Saab in 2008.

New Zealand bred and Queensland based Shoot Out joins the line-up, he has had a strong start to the season clean-sweeping Caulfield's early Spring features - the Group 3 A$125,000 Bletchingly Stakes and the Group 2, A$200,000 J.J Liston Stakes.

Heading the list of local contenders is the outstanding Whobegotyou, who was placed second in the Memsie Stakes last year, as well as the five-time Group 1 winning mare Typhoon Tracy. VRC Oaks winner, Faint Perfume, BMW victor Littorio and Sirmione, Buccellati and Valdemoro, who has run second in two Group 1 races, complete this impressive field.

The New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes marks New Zealand Bloodstock's first sponsorship of the new season, following 27 sponsored races last season. The race kicks off at 3:33pm in Melbourne on Saturday 28 August (5:33pm NZ).