The Memsie Stakes is the first Group 1 race of the Victorian racing season, with the 2020 edition run at Caulfield on Saturday, August 29th.
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 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
