Friday, August 30, 2019

Winter’s Almost Over–Group 1 Racing Returns at Caulfield

memsie_humidor 2
Humidor - winner of the 2018 Memsie Stakes

A sunny day is forecast tomorrow, so what better way to celebrate the last day of winter than to head out for an afternoon at the races.

The first Group 1 of Melbourne’s Spring racing season is the Memsie Stakes and it is the feature race at Caulfield.

Run over 1400 metres, it boasts a star studded cast of prior winners that include Sunline, So You Think, Makybe Diva, to name a few.

Last year it was won by Humidor at big odds. He is again part of the field of thirteen that have accepted for the event. Black Heart Bart, who won the Memsie in 2016, has emerged from retirement to try his luck in this year’s edition, having not been seen at the races since October last year.

Alizee is the current favourite and could well prevail, already having a win at her first start this season. She won the Group 1 Futurity Stakes in autumn over the same distance and course.

The highly interesting field also has the popular Begood Toya Mother thrown in at the deep end at his first start at Weight For Age, and the reformed rogue So Si Bon who won the Group 3 Aurie’s Star earlier this month.

Overall it’s a pretty even field with any of the runners in with a chance, such as  Hartnell, Scales of Justice, Fundamentalist and Cliff’s Edge.

The  support card is also pretty interesting with several Group 3 events, particularly the HDF McNeil Stakes for three year olds, where Dubious will be out to redeem his reputation after his poor showing in the Vain Stakes.

It will be tricky getting to Caulfield via public transport tomorrow, with no city loop trains and buses replacing trains to Caulfield and leaving from Parliament Station, leading me to decide to tram it to Caulfield from Flinders Street, where the Hurtsbridge train line terminates.

I hope to arrive at Caulfield around 2.00 pm. Happily the rail will be in its true postion, so photography should be easier this time. Even so, I’m taking my new step for public lawn shots.

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