The first of the Melbourne Group 1 spring features is in play at Caulfield on Saturday, and there are plenty of big names to go through in our 2025 Memsie Stakes preview this weekend.
We saw Sydney survive a Heavy (10) Randwick track and host the Winx Stakes, won in outstanding fashion by the queen Via Sistina last weekend further north, and now it’s the south’s turn to put the stars on show.
Unlike last Saturday, we’ll enjoy a less rain-affected rated track for the Group 1 $750,000 Memsie Stakes (1400m) – Caulfield currently at a Soft (5) – with Fangirl among the 11 final acceptors after she was scratched from the Winx.
So, will Fangirl get the chance to add to her Group 1 record in her delayed return?
Can the veteran of the field Mr Brightside win the race for a second time as an eight-year-old?
Or will the resuming VRC Oaks – ATC Oaks double champ Treasurethe Moment extend her incredible winning streak to nine straight?
Read on for our expert runner-by-runner guide to the 2025 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield this Saturday!
2025 Memsie Stakes Same Race Multi Selections ($17 at time of publish)
- Top 2 – No. 6 Another Wil
- Top 3 – No. 11 Treasurethe Moment
- Top 4 – No. 1 Mr Brightside
1. MR BRIGHTSIDE (9) – Ben, Will & JD Hayes
Odds: $5.50 (at time of publish)
Mr B is back! Word from the Lindsay Park team ahead of the now eight-year-old son of Bullbars’ return is that he’s in terrific order and ready to show the young guns he’s not going to lie down easily.
His first-up record is solid (9:3-3-1) and Caulfield is one of his pet tracks. His strike rate at the 1400m here is stupid good (8:6-2-0) and includes his Memsie win from 2023.
Was runner-up to Pinstriped by a narrow margin fresh last spring before winning the Makybe Diva in a race where Via Sistina was out of the money.
This champion $17.3 million earner was brave in the autumn beating Tom Kitten home here in the Futurity by a nostril flare before his second to the same horse in another photo-thriller at HQ in the All-Star Mile.
Went overseas and the Hong Kong Champions Mile run was obviously very disappointing (13th of 13).
Still, we’ve seen many great gallopers come back from failed overseas’ bids and return to their best back home.
Ben Hayes has expressed confidence the seasoned gelding is forward enough to deliver a strong first-up performance despite lingering doubts from his Hong Kong campaign.
Looked the goods in a sharp Flemington jump out in mid-August, Craig Williams continues associations, and this is his playground.
Can’t see him running out of the money despite the depth of the field.
2. TOM KITTEN (4) – Anthony & Sam Freedman
Odds: $7 (at time of publish)
So excited to see the return of Godolphin’s Cox Plate contender who is now with the Freedmans and ready to present as a mature five-year-old with plenty of hot autumn form lines to follow.
The Harry Angel gelding is textbook peak age for a middle-distance campaign and races for the first time since his gutsy third behind Via Sistina at Randwick on April 12 in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) in a run full of merit that saw him cross 2.5 lengths off her at double-figures.
He’s a dual Group 1 champion and, while he didn’t have much to spare on the line in the All-Star Mile at HQ, he beat a very nice type in Mr Brightside.
Third in that race was subsequent Australian Cup winner Light Infantry Man, which further cements Tom Kitten’s budding abilities.
The way he handled himself against top-class WFA horses over 2000m as a four-year-old was impressive and I’m expecting big things from him as he heads towards the Ladbrokes Cox Plate.
When first-up in the autumn he was second by the barest of margins to regular foe Mr B in the Futurity at this track and trip, Ben Melham is back aboard, and gate four looks ideal.
Will improve on whatever he does here, and while I’ll be more confident over a mile and further for him later this prep, his credentials are solid and the hoop and draw certainly add to his Top 4 appeal.
For more on the prep ahead for Tom Kitten, check out our Ladbrokes’ exclusive The Spring Prospect Watchlist: From Lap Cat to Track Star!
3. ANTINO (8) – Tony Gollan
Odds: $6 (at time of publish)
It’s a stacked Memsie Stakes field of resuming Group 1 champions including Tony Gollan’s seasoned Queensland star and Doomben Cup hero who is back and sitting high up plenty of spring futures markets.
This now seven-year-old son of Redwood closed out his winter campaign completing the Hollindale – Doomben Cup double with the latter seeing him beat Fawkner Park by a runaway four lengths over 2000m on May 24.
He has won more than half his first-up runs (7:4-0-0) so, is a horse that can win at both ends of a prep.
While the mile and upwards is his preferred distance range, he is a three-time winner from eight 1400m assignments so don’t think it’ll be too sharp for him to kick off.
He ran fourth fresh to Pinstriped in this event 12 months ago, while his last Caulfield start had him winning the Toorak Handicap in a brilliant 6.5 length demolition job.
After going to Hong Kong last summer when failing to fire in the Mile race running 11th, he atoned for a flat 11th first-up in the All Aged Stakes at Randwick to win back home in the sunshine state back-to-back.
No doubt he’s a class horse with another Group 1 win in him sometime this prep, but I’d prefer to see him shake the cobwebs off here first, so I won’t have him in the first four this time.
4. HERE TO SHOCK (6) – Ben, Will & JD Hayes
Odds: $16 (at time of publish)
Another eight-year-old warhorse lining up in the Memsie field for the Hayes boys, and Here To Shock isn’t without claims.
The son of former Melbourne Cup winner Shocking is second-up with the fitness edge over many of these runners, and his strike rate two runs in is good (8:3-1-0).
Last prep across the Tasman he was enormous at Te Rapa claiming the Group 1 BCD Group Sprint over this distance by an imposing four lengths.
Back home after that he wasn’t far off Royal Patronage over 1300m at Randwick when runner-up in the Canterbury Stakes.
Fresh, he raced at this track and trip to cross 2.5 lengths behind Private Eye in the Group 2 PB Lawrence which looks a nice form line to follow.
He’ll be fitter for that run, gets a midfield draw to give him options, and Daniel Stackhouse stays on.
One that can be forgotten in betting and overshadowed but for mine is a genuine roughie with upside in a deep Group 1 field for exotic selections.
5. BUCKAROO (7) – Chris Waller
Odds: $31 (at time of publish)
Buckaroo is one of the outsiders in the markets and the first of two in the mix for Waller who is after his second Memsie trophy after his win a decade ago with Boban.
The Fastnet Rock seven-year-old hasn’t won a race since his win here last September in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) where he easily accounted for Huetor by 3.5 lengths.
He was competitive in plenty of the longer-distance spring features last year including his Caulfield Cup second but didn’t do enough to catch the eye earlier this year.
He ran seventh to Via Sistina first-up in April’s Queen Elizabeth before finishing well down the order in the Hollindale on a Heavy (9) track at the Gold Coast over 17 lengths beaten.
With mixed recent form and needing further to show his best, I’m happy to leave him out.
First-up last spring he was eighth in the Winx Stakes at 60/1 and can’t see him doing much better than that here in Melbourne this time in.
6. ANOTHER WIL (3) – Ciaron Maher
Odds: $4.40 favourite (at time of publish)
We hit the top of the markets with the Ciaron Maher trained Another Wil who ticks plenty of boxes for a winning return from a favourable gate three draw with Jamie Melham reuniting with the now six-year-old son of Street Boss.
A genuine first-up flyer (4:3-1-0), fresh is when he races his best which is what the punters are relying on this weekend.
He is also a standout Caulfield specialist (6:4-10) as a three-time winner and one-time runner-up from his four starts at the 1400m here.
In February he won the CF Orr over Mr Brightside first-up at the track and trip, was right in the mix only 1.4 lengths beaten in the All-Star Mile when fourth to Tom Kitten, and his Doncaster run with 56.5kg from barrier 15 was excellent when under a length away in a true blanket finish.
He’s had two Gosford trials to bring him on fitness-wise, and the classy gelding still has upside so could be in for his best prep yet.
Favourites saluted in the race nine times from 2008 – 2024 (most recently Mr Brightside at $2.70 in 2023) and that bodes well for Another Wil this year.
7. PINSTRIPED (11) – Enver Jusufovic
Odds: $31 (at time of publish)
The defending Memsie Stakes champ Pinstriped is at big odds in his bid to go back-to-back in the event for the first time since Behemoth (2020-21).
Mr Brightside failed to do so last year and there’s not much to suggest Enver Jusufovic’s gelding will do it this season.
He was a surprise winner 12 months ago second-up after a PB Lawrence second but hasn’t performed well in anything of note since.
His autumn first-up run had him eight lengths second last (9th) to Another Will in the CF Orr before a seventh at 30/1 in the Futurity Stakes, which is about where I see him finishing in the Memsie 2025 results.
The PB Lawrence was his starting point again this season and he failed to keep in touch with the better horses in that running seventh, albeit still only 3.3 lengths off.
Looks more of a Group 2 performer now, and even if he dons blinkers as Jusufovic attempts to reignite the horse’s form, I can’t have.
8. IS IT ME (2) – Daniel Bowman
Odds: $51 (at time of publish)
Warrnambool based horseman Daniel Bowman has accepted for his Iffraaj six-year-old Is It Me, but I can’t see where the stable’s confidence is coming from with this one.
A horse used to lower-grade races, he’ll likely struggle on the big stage against a field of this quality.
Historically Memsie Stakes winners have their final lead-up in Group 1 company, and this gelding is making his elite level debut on the weekend.
While he did string together three Flemington 1400m wins on the trot during a strong autumn campaign, they were at nowhere near this level.
His Group 3 Shaftesbury Avenue win with 54.5kg by nearly four lengths was impressive, but at WFA against a field of monster performers he’s making up numbers for mine.
Races second-up on Saturday after kicking off at Morphettville in early August’s Group 3 Behemoth Stakes (1200m) when fourth to Queman.
Not strong enough form line, and I prefer most others in the field.
9. FANGIRL (5) – Chris Waller
Odds: $5 (at time of publish)
Chris Waller’s one-time favourite Fangirl has eased out slightly for her delayed return giving the mare a touch of value for those that want to back her.
She would have stood a strong Top 3 chance in the Winx Stakes had it not been for the mud track in Sydney last weekend, but Waller made the right call not to run her in those conditions.
Heading south a week later definitely isn’t ideal as she’s yet to race at the Caulfield track.
A mare oozing class with $10 million in the bank to prove her ability, she’s a very nice horse first-up (9:4-1-3) but I’m just not sold she’ll love this course.
Boasting a very strong 1400m record (9:5-1-2) she’s at the right distance but the little hiccup to her prep might be her undoing here.
Saturday has her running in her 21st Group 1 so she’s got the glowing CV and experience to feature.
Fresh in the autumn she beat Lindermann and Via Sistina home in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick before a brilliant prep running second in the Verry Elleegant and George Ryder.
At her latest she added a fourth Group 1 trophy to her cabinet in the Queen Of The Turf (1600m) when beating home the Doncaster Mile winner Stefi Magnetica.
Mark Zahra rides her from a good gate five draw, and he’s one of the country’s best, but he’ll be sitting on her for the first time.
Look, plenty will hate me for not having her in my Top 3, but I just like the Caulfield credentials of others this time.
10. ZARDOZI (10) – Scratched
11. TREASURETHE MOMENT (1) – Matt Laurie
Odds: $7 (at time of publish)
From a mare at blowout odds to one being kept very safe in betting, and Treasurethe Moment is one I’ve had a big circle around ahead of the spring.
What she did as a filly last season was superlative.
This weekend she’s out to extend a picket fence of wins being undefeated in her past eight starts.
And those eight wins haven’t been in dud fields by any stretch of the imagination.
The daughter of Alabama Express became the first filly in 20 years to complete the interstate VRC Oaks – ATC Oaks double and also picked up the Vinery Stud Stakes win at Group 1 level in between plus a host of Group 2 features.
She’s been odds-on favourite in her last three to salute for the punters so there’ll be plenty getting on her at her current $7 offering.
Yes, she’s a mile and a half dual Oaks winner, but she’s also undefeated at 1400m (2:2-0) and has won both her over previous Caulfield assignments.
She looked outstanding in her latest trial at Mornington back on August 20 with Laurie singing her post-jump out praises.
He believes she’s fit and forward enough for a big run in the Memsie and I’m taking his word.
Damian Lane knows her so well and is aboard from barrier one this weekend after describing her as “sharp, fresh and well” following her last trial.
Can’t wait to see where she heads this time in whether it is a Cox Plate or a Caulfield Cup, and I also am biting at the bit for her to throw down with Aeliana!
But, as for Saturday, I’m going to say she’s got the upside, class and ability to run a very nice race and have her Each Way.
For more on the spring potential of Treasurethe Moment make sure to check out our The Spring Prospect Watchlist: Spring Cups Treasure Unearthed!
Good luck punters!
Don’t forget to check out our The Punters’ Playbook: Caulfield Spring Carnival Deep Dive for the inside word on the jockeys, trainers and races to watch over the following months!
All Memsie Stakes odds quoted are correct at time of publish and subject to change at any time without notice.