The Memsie Stakes at Caulfield is the first Group 1 of the new season in Australia. A top quality field of eleven horses have been declared for the $400,000 prize.
This race is regarded as the first serious trial for races like the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate later in the season. Puissance De Lune was favourite for the Melbourne Cup this time last year but he has not won in any of his last six races.
He was beaten a head by Happy Trails in the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington in October. Silent Achiever stayed on into sixth place that day and all three are set to start on Saturday. Happy Trails went on to be beaten a short head by Shamus Award in the Cox Plate and made his first appearance of the season in the Group 3 Spring Stakes. The seven-year-old was beaten nearly five lengths into fifth but should be fitter for the race.
The race that probably holds the key to the outcome here is the Group 2 Missile Stakes at Royal Randwick. Gai Waterhouse won the race with Sweet Idea who held Messene by a head with Boban finishing strongly in fourth.
Both the runner-up and the fourth are back for another crack at the winner having side-stepped last week’s Warwick Stakes. Glyn Schofield missed the break on Boban at Randwick and he is my idea of the winner here. A nine draw is not ideal but Sweet Idea is drawn wider still in ten. Craig Newitt will probably chase her out early to get a position and Boban should be able to track her through.
Boban won four consecutive races last season including two Group 1’s. He added a third win in the highest grade when winning the Chipping Norton Stakes in March. He lost his way afterwards but looked to be on the way back in the Missile Stakes.
Team Hawkes are optimistic of a big run from Messene who is handily drawn in barrier four. Peter Moody’s Moment Of Change was a close second to Hard Stride in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes at Caulfield last time out. He has three course and distance victories to his credit with the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, Orr Stakes and Futurity Stakes. He is another who likes to be up with the pace early on and will probably be vying for the early lead with Sweet Idea.
Silent Achiever has not run since finishing fourth in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Royal Randwick in April. She had a recent barrier trial over 1100 metres and should not be far away while
Super Cool finished third behind Atlantic Jewel in this race a year ago. He has not raced since finishing ninth in the Melbourne Cup and will probably need the race.
Boban SP @Paddy Power
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