The 2024 Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival gets underway this Saturday at Caulfield headlined by the Memsie Stakes.
The first Group 1 of the Carnival has attracted just the eight runners, but it’s set to be a tantalising contest all the same.
Last year’s winner, Mr Brightside, is back to defend his title and is looking to become the 11th horse to go back-to-back.
The mere presence of the bold front runner Pride Of Jenni, who famously led by 13 lengths in her Queen Elizabeth Stakes win, ensures that this race will be an exciting contest.
Mr Brightside and Pride Of Jenni are currently involved in a fierce contest for favouritism.
The feature race earned G1 status in 2013 and since then, every winner except for Behemoth in 2020 had previously won a top flight race. That bodes well for Mr Brightside, Aegon and Pride Of Jenni.
For our thoughts on every horse, check out our comprehensive 2024 Memsie Stakes preview below. (Prices current at time of publish)
1. Mr Brightside (4)
Price: $2.60
The Team Hayes gelding has been a marvel for the stable with six G1 victories including last year’s edition of this race.
Unlike last year when he entered the Memsie Stakes second-up, he attacks this year first-up which could be a winning strategy given his excellent fresh record.
The seven-year-old resumed last preparation with a nose win over Pride Of Jenni in the G1 C.F. Orr Stakes despite missing the start and having many lengths to make up.
Pride Of Jenni would go on to beat him in their next three clashes but he was far from disgraced, finishing second by two lengths in the All-Star Mile and running on strongly from too far back for third in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
The son of Bullbars boasts the impressive record of being undefeated in five starts over this course and distance.
He has looked good in two recent jump outs which suggest a big first-up performance is imminent.
2. Aegon (1)
Price: $23.00
The New Zealand gelding follows a similar build up to the first G1 of the Melbourne Spring as he did last year by coming through the P.B. Lawrence Stakes.
Andrew Forsman’s seven-year-old was caught deep in last year’s Memsie Stakes with his run ending with 100m to go. That should not be the case this year with him drawing barrier 1.
He caught the eye first-up in the P.B. Lawrence Stakes when settling a long last after drawing the outside barrier before rocketing to the line to finish fourth to Gentleman Roy by just under a length.
The 3x G1 winner will strip fitter and has previously won second-up over the course and distance when claiming the 2022 Moonga Stakes.
The major negative with him is that he will no doubt get back in the run so it will be crucial that Vlad Duric doesn’t give his mount too much work to do.
Otherwise, he looks a definite place chance.
3. Gentleman Roy (8)
Price: $10.00
There was a fear that the son of So You Think may be on the downward slope after two preparations where he struggled.
However, Team Hayes has turned him around in a big way this time in work and he’s back baby!
He returned to his best three starts ago when fighting bravely to win by a head at Sandown before backing that up with a brave effort to win with 60.5kg at Flemington.
Throughout his career he’s always been up for the fight and that was clearly demonstrated in his P.B. Lawrence Stakes win last start when challenged late by Pinstriped.
He’s drawn the outside barrier but that’s not a hinderance given he will enjoy a beautiful cart across from Pride Of Jenni to settle handy.
While I’m not sure he can defeat his more fancied stablemate or Pride Of Jenni, he certainly gets the race shape to suit with top jockey Mark Zahra piloting and looks a top three chance.
4. Bandersnatch (2)
Price: $46.00
The Team Hawkes gelding enjoyed a nice run and was entitled to find the line as well as he did when finishing 1.8 lengths fourth in the Regal Roller Stakes first-up.
While he’ll have come on since that run, I don’t think it will be enough to be competitive here given he hasn’t placed in eight previous G1 races.
5. Pinstriped (3)
Price: $12.00
There is no doubting that the Enver Jusufovic-trained gelding was the unlucky runner in the P.B. Lawrence Stakes.
The son of Street Boss found himself three-wide in the run before wanting to lay in badly in the straight to the point he was buffeting Jimmy The Bear, but despite that he fought gamely to go down by a head.
He is yet to place in five previous G1 races but did win the G2 Feehan Stakes last spring as well as finishing 1.8 lengths second to Mr Brightside in last year’s P.B. Lawrence Stakes.
He has always been presented as a potential G1 horse, but I don’t think this is his chance to win one.
6. Antino (6)
Price: $6.00
Queensland’s number one trainer Tony Gollan brings the striking son of Redwood south with high hopes for a G1 victory.
The six-year-old resumes for the first time since finishing 12th in the Stradbroke Handicap.
This will be his second Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival after winning last year’s Sandown Stakes and finishing a nose second in the Toorak Handicap and being a certainty beaten in the Crystal Mile.
He races super fresh having won four of his five first-up races and that looks set to continue after jumping out like a bomb against Pride Of Jenni.
He’s been well supported already but the question about whether he can win against this level of opposition remains.
It might be the loyal Queenslander in me, but I think he can run a race.
7. Pride Of Jenni (7)
Price: $2.70
The Ciaron Maher-trained mare is the horse all of Australia is waiting to see after her heroics in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes to end her last preparation.
That is one of three G1 titles she has won in the past year with her others being the Empire Rose Stakes and Kennedy Mile.
She also claimed the All-Star Mile and in each of those races, she got the better of Mr Brightside but it must be noted that each of those races were a mile and he did defeat her over this course and distance.
Maher has given her three jump outs leading into this so he undoubtably is keen for a first-up win, something she is yet to do in seven tries.
Declan Bates will roll forward at a good clip looking to break their hearts and if she gets the small field off the bit and chasing, it will likely be good night and a fourth G1 title going her way.
Ladbrokes have a ‘Queen Of The Spring’ promotion around her which you can check out here.
8. Vagrant (4)
Price: $71.00
The Mitchell Freedman-trained mare caught the eye warming up late when resuming in the Regal Roller Stakes.
She looks in for a good preparation, but this looks far too rich for her.
The Judgement
What a race this promises to be with Mr Brightside and Pride Of Jenni locking horns once again!
After much deliberation, I’m going to side with Mr Brightside to win back-to-back Memsie Stakes.
He loves this course and distance, having won all five of his races over it and he races particularly well fresh.
I think over 1400m he has a slight advantage as he won’t get as far off Jenni as he has over the longer trips.
Selections:
1st – Mr Brightside (1)
2nd – Pride Of Jenni (7)
3rd – Gentleman Roy (3)
4th – Antino (6)