NZB Spring WFA Championship Kick Off

For the fifth consecutive year, the New Zealand Bloodstock sponsored Caulfield Spring Weight-for-Age Championship commences with the Group 2 A$200,000 Back to Caulfield P.B. Lawrence Stakes this Saturday.

Star Rolling winner of last year's Group 2 Back to Caulfield P.B. Lawrence Stakes.

The Championship comprises four legs, held at Melbourne Racing Club’s Caulfield Racecourse, with the first leg, the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes, run over 1400m. The Championship also includes the Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes, the Group 1 Hyland Race Colours Underwood Stakes and culminates with the Group 1 Cathay Pacific Caulfield Stakes.

Racing for a total of A$1.4 million in prizemoney, horses are awarded points for finishing first through to eighth. 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.

Saturday’s Group 2 feature has attracted a field of nine contenders looking to accumulate points towards the Championship, with the winning horse receiving 10 points, runner-up receiving 8 points, third place gaining 6 points with points awarded back to eighth place.

At the top of the book is Group 1 Goodwood Handicap winner Smokin’ Joey (Encosta de Lago). The son of Encosta de Lago was a winner of the Listed Eye Liner Stakes two starts ago and was victorious most recently at Caulfield in the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes for trainer Wez Hunter. Jockey Chris Parnham takes the mount, commencing from barrier 3.

Opening his spring campaign in Saturday’s race is The Cleaner (Savoire Vivre), trained by Mick Burles. Travelling from his Tasmania base, The Cleaner’s most notable win came last spring when winning the Group 2 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes. Gaining a cult following last season, The Cleaner will start from barrier 6 with Noel Callow taking the ride.

Having his first start for new trainer Darryl Blackshaw is Mourinho (Oratorio), a Group 2 winner on the course. Last racing in autumn, the son of Oratorio won at Caulfield two starts ago in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes, just two starts after winning the Group 2 Australia Stakes. He has also been Group 1 placed on the track in the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes. Vlad Duric will continue his association with Mourinho from barrier 1.

International import Dibayani (Shamardal) is the first of two runners from David Hayes and Tom Dabernig’s stable. A Listed winner in Ireland, Dibaynai spent 2014 racing in Hong Kong where he was placed in three Hong Kong Group 1 races. To be ridden by Damian Lane, he will start from barrier 8.

Stayer Big Memory (Duke of Marmalade) kicks off his spring campaign, heading towards the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups. The Tony McEvoy trained galloper began his racing career in Europe before relocating to Australia. His best victory came at Caulfield last spring with a win in the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes. Big Memory will start from barrier 4 with Damien Oliver taking the ride.

A winner of 13 races from 27 starts, the Darren Weir trained Taiyoo (Haradasun) will have a tilt at the Group 2 feature. Taiyoo won seven races last season including the Group 3 Lord Reims Cup before finishing runner-up in the Group 2 Adelaide Cup. Weir’s stable rider Brad Rawiller will be aboard, commencing from barrier 5.

Last start stakes-winner Excess Knowledge (Monsun) captured his first black-type victory in the Group 3 Doncaster Mile Prelude during the autumn. Trained by Gai Waterhouse, Excess Knowledge has placed in five of his seven starts in Australia after beginning his career in Europe. Commencing from barrier 7, Kerrin McEvoy will ride the son of Monsun, the sire of Group 1 Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente who was also trained by Waterhouse.

The second runner for David Hayes and Tom Dabernig is Petrology (Fastnet Rock), the Group 2 Sandown Guineas winner from last season. His last start saw him finish third in the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes to race rival Smokin’ Joey. The son of Fastnet Rock will be ridden by Dwayne Dunn from barrier 9.

Rounding out the field is kiwi galloper No Tricks (NZ) (Savabeel), the only mare in the field. A successful autumn and winter saw No Tricks win the Listed Warstep Stakes in New Zealand before transitioning to Wayne Walters' Australian stable where she won her last start in Queensland’s Listed Daybreak Lover Stakes. She will start from barrier 2 with jockey Stephen Baster aboard.

The second leg of the Championship is the Group 1 New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m), the first Group 1 race in Australia for the 2015/16 season, and will be run on 29 August.

To view the field for the Group 2 Back to Caulfield P.B. Lawrence Stakes, click here.

To view the race schedule for the New Zealand Bloodstock Caulfield Spring WFA Championship, click here.