A star-studded lineup is expected for the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday afternoon if the nominations are anything to go by.
Some 22 horses will be vying to take out the first Group 1 held in Victoria for the 2023/24 racing season, with eight former Group 1 winners among those nominated.
Headlining the nominations is Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) winner I Wish I Win, with Saturday’s race expected to be his only start before lining up in The Everest (1200m) on October 14.
I Wish I Win is set to be joined by five-time Group 1 winner Alligator Blood, who will looking to add another Caulfield 1400m Group 1 win to his resume having saluted in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) at the track and trip in February earlier this year.
Fresh off a dominant win in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m), Mr Brightside will be chasing a fourth-straight win having rounded out his autumn campaign with success in the All-Star Mile (1600m) and Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m).
Chris Waller has thrown in Kovalica to resume over 1400m, with the last-start Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) victor featuring heavily in futures markets for a lot Group 1 races over the coming weeks and months.
Former internationals Going Global and Duke De Sessa are both in line to make their second appearance in Australia, having both failed to make too much of an impression in the Doncaster Mile in April.
The final field for the 2023 Memsie Stakes is set to be released at 11am on Wednesday morning.
Memsie Stakes 2023 nominations
| # | Horse | Trainer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aegon | Andrew Forsman |
| 2 | Alligator Blood | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
| 3 | Amenable | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) |
| 4 | Annavisto | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) |
| 5 | Attrition | Mitchell Freedman |
| 6 | Bandersnatch | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes |
| 7 | Bank Maur | Richard Laming |
| 8 | Duke De Sessa | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
| 9 | Going Global | Chris Waller |
| 10 | I Wish I Win | Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman |
| 11 | Kovalica | Chris Waller |
| 12 | Madame Pommery | Chris Waller |
| 13 | Mr Brightside | Ben, Will & JD Hayes |
| 14 | My Oberon | Annabel Neasham |
| 15 | Nonconformist | Grahame Begg |
| 16 | Osipenko | Chris Waller |
| 17 | Pride Of Jenni | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
| 18 | Princess Grace | Chris Waller |
| 19 | Steinem | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
| 20 | The Inevitable | Tegan Keys |
| 21 | Western Empire | John Leek (Jnr) |
| 22 | Zougotcha | Chris Waller |
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