Brad Bishop takes a look at Group 1 Memsie Stakes day at Caulfield this Saturday.
The Group 1s are finally upon us in Melbourne with Saturday's Caulfield meeting headlined by the $750,000 Memsie Stakes and what an edition we have got!
The 1400m weight-for-age contest is one of the most mouth-watering renewals in that race's history, with 10 of the 11 runners Group 1 winners, and for that reason we're looking to the undercard for our better bets on the card.
One horse who could have been a part of the Memsie had things gone differently a couple of weeks ago is Sepals, who instead runs in the final race of the day.
He was slated to resume in the P B Lawrence Stakes but was a late scratching after playing up at the barriers, and the fact Cliff Brown was eager to kick off his spring campaign in that Group 2 event might be a good pointer to how well the four-year-old has come back.
Instead of butting heads with Private Eye, Here To Shock, Evaporate and Pinstriped and co at weight-for-age first-up, he kicks off in a benchmark 100 over 1400 metres where he will be getting weight off a number of key rivals.
The son of Calyx is likely to get his preferred Soft track conditions and is drawn to get a lovely run midfield in the running line, which will give Ethan Brown every opportunity to find what will by then be a well-established preferred part of the track.
Earlier in the card another horse who looks destined to play a part in better races later in the year kicks off her campaign at benchmark level.
On Display will be making her first appearance since a dominant win in the Listed Adelaide Guineas (1600m) at Morphettville on May 3 in the $80,000 benchmark 78 that is the second race of the day.
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained four-year-old does have to carry 60.5kg, but she resumes at 1400m for the first time and while she is yet to be placed on a wet track, her three Soft track runs were in races either short of her best trip or at Black Type level.
On Display needs to bolster her rating to be assured of a start in some of the races the stable would like to get her to, so she should be ready to rock and roll here.
In the Memsie Stakes, Another Wil looks to get a favourable set-up, flies fresh, has won four from six at Caulfield, including the Group 1 C F Orr Stakes, which is one of five wins from seven starts at 1400m.
The other two times he has finished second, so he looks the safest play in a ripping contest.
Best Bet: Race 10 No. 10 SEPALS
Next Best: Race 2 No. 1 ON DISPLAY
Memsie Tip: Race 9 No. 6 ANOTHER WIL
