The Memsie Stakes is the first Group 1 race of the Victorian racing season, with the 2021 edition to be run at Caulfield on Saturday, August 27th.
A traditional lead-in to the Melbourne Spring Carnival, the Memsie Stakes is run over 1400 metres at Caulfield. It obtained Group 1 status in 2013. The race’s place in the calendar means it’s generally an early-campaign workout for many star horses who are headed to some of the Spring Carnival’s biggest races. As a result, punters can usually expect a high-quality field, with the majority of entrants having their first or second run for the preparation.
The key lead-up race is the Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes, which is also ran over the Caulfield 1400 metres, under the same conditions. The PB Lawrence Stakes is typically held two weeks prior to the Memsie Stakes.
Memsie Stakes
Caulfield Racecourse, 1400m
Group 1 weight-for-age, three-year-olds and up
$1,000,000
Memsie Stakes 2021: Pro punter preview
Champion Bets Melbourne pro punter Trevor Lawson gives us his thoughts on this year’s running of the Memsie Stakes.
This time of year is always tough! It’s basically a crossover period between winter and spring and you have a lot of horses resuming, so you have to be wary with predicting what sort of level they’re going to get to – most will be targeted at other races in the spring.
In good news the pace in this race is good. It should be genuinely run.
FIFTY STARS will probably take a run to really get into stride and will be looking for later in the prep. Gets back here on the map too, so I won’t be expecting too much.
BEHEMOTH won on protest first-up on a wet track. He on this race second-up last year and is obviously very good at the track and distance. He may have to do a slight amount of work from the barrier however.
STREETS OF AVALON was solid first-up, then pulled up lame last start. He’s good at this track and distance though and can bounce back here.
ARCHEDEMUS is not good enough for this level
RED CAN MAN is racing honestly and gets a good run on the map here. Having said that, he would need a fair few here to run poorly to have a chance.
SANSOM is not up to this class.
AEGON won all four starts in NZ before winning his first start in Australia at Rosehill in February. His form tapered after that… he might be better on a wet track.
BEAU ROSSA ran well last start, losing on protest to Behemoth. He’s third-up here and is better suited back on a dry track.
COLETTE resumes here. She’ll get back to last and her best form is on wet tracks. I’m happy to go around her
TOFANE resumes off a short break. Has won her last two in Queensland. She’s a consistent mare, is good fresh, has trialed well and gets a good run on the map.
INSPIRATIONAL GIRL is a WA mare having her first start here. She has form around Red Can Man, who she has easily accounted for. This is her first start for O’Brien. She maps slightly awkwardly from the inside draw and her fitness a query
SIERRA SUE is racing well and has won her past two. She gets a similar run here on the map.
Verdict For me, it’s a race in two – I have Behemoth and Tofane equal top of my market, with the rest in double figures. I’m around the same as the market on those two at the moment.
Memsie Stakes 2020
The 2020 Memsie Stakes was won by the David Jolly-trained Behemoth, which was ridden by Craig Williams. The Caulfield track was rated a Good 3. Second place went to Mr Quickie, trained by Phillip Stokes, while Peter Moody’s Glenfiddich finished third.
Behemoth’s win was most notable in that the horse cost just $6,000, making a Group 1 victory an enormous achievement. The win took Behemoth’s career earnings to in excess of $1.3 million.
| Finish | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Margin | Barrier | Weight | SP |
| 1 | 7. Behemoth | Craig Williams | David Jolly | 1:22.71 | 2 | 59 | $3.30 |
| 2 | 6. Mr Quickie | Dwayne Dunn | Phillip Stokes | 1.5 | 5 | 59 | $14 |
| 3 | 15. Glenfiddich | Craig Newitt | Peter Moody | 2.25 | 10 | 50.5 | $6 |
The big boy BEHEMOTH wins his first Group 1 – @mmsnippets Memsie Stakes @GrandSyndicates @DJollyRacing @VineryStud @CWilliamsJockey pic.twitter.com/sDjXBXaSGo
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) August 29, 2020
Memsie Stakes: past winners
2020 Behemoth
2019 Scales Of Justice
2018 Humidor
2017 Vega Magic
2016 Black Heart Bart
2015 Boban
2014 Dissident
2013 Atlantic Jewel
2012 Sincero
2011 King’s Rose
2010 So You Think
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