Australian Racing: Storm Boy to blow away the competition

August ends with Group 1 action at Caulfield with the 2024 renewal of the Memsie Stakes, the feature race on a 10-race card.

Race 9 Caulfield

Mr Brightside @ 2.80

Race 6 Rosehill

Storm Boy @ 2.40

Race 5 Morphettville

Klabel @ 4.40

Mr Brightside to take Memsie

The previously mentioned Group 1 Memsie Stakes over 1400m is the big race of the day at Caulfield.

A good 4 track is expected for the race with Pride Of Jenni, one of two mares in the field vying for favouritism.

The daughter of Pride Of Dubai showed good form last season, winning two Group 1 races over 1600m at Flemington in November.

The mare went on to register a victory in the 1600m All-Star Mile at this venue in March prior to a narrow Group 1 defeat when second in the Australian Cup.

Ciaron Maher’s mare ended her last prep with a win under an enterprising ride in the 2000m Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick.

The seven-year-old built up an unassailable lead that day, with the result looking in little doubt a long way from home.

However, while she has gone well in placing first up in the past, she generally improves for her return to action and looks opposable in this event.

Third in the previously mentioned Queen Elizabeth Stakes, MR BRIGHTSIDE, the winner of this race 12 months ago, is preferred in this contest. 

The seven-year-old has won three Group 1 contests since that effort, with two of those coming over this track and trip in February.

Trained by Ben, JD & Will Hayes, the gelding followed up a narrow-margin success in the C.F. Orr Stakes with a one-and-a-half-length triumph in the Futurity Stakes.

Both of those efforts came on a sound surface, however, he was unable to win in three subsequent starts.

Craig Williams’ mount hasn’t been seen in race action since finishing third in the previously mentioned Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes over 2000m in April.

Mr Brightside has won first time out in the past however and is taken to register back-to-back wins in this race. 

Storm Boy to take San Domenico

A 10-race card is programmed at Rosehill, with the Group 3 Domenico Stakes over 1100m the highlight for three-year-old sprinters. 

Chris Waller’s Gatsby’s is expected to prove popular with punters, having won two of his three starts to date.

The second of those victories saw him triumph by over one-and-a-half-lengths in the Listed Sydney Markets Rosebud over this track and trip earlier this month.

Gatsby’s raced from off the pace when competing on a soft 5 surface that day and, while he has trialled on the forecast good 4 track, he has yet to race on it.

The penalised STORM BOY is the selection to get his career back on track here however. 

The son of Justify won his first four starts last year, including in The Star Gold Coast Magic Millions 2yo Classic over 1200m at Gold Coast in January.

The colt followed up with an impressive victory in the Group 2 Skyline Stakes over 1200m, when racing on a good 4 track at Randwick subsequently.

Storm Boy jumped as favourite for the Group 1 Golden Slipper as a result and, while he could finish only third, he showed good form on that occasion.

A disappointing fourth in the 1400m Group 1 Inglis Sires’ at Randwick followed, however he has saluted in his two barrier trials ahead of his seasonal reappearance.

Adam Hyeronimus rides for the first time since the Gold Coast success and dropping back in distance his mount looks capable of resuming with a win. 

Klabel for Morphettville glory

The fifth race at Morphettville takes the eye with a field of 11 set to go to post for a 1200m Benchmark 82 handicap.

Richard & Chantelle Jolly are set to saddle KLABEL here, with the gelding arriving in great form as the winner of each of his last three starts.

The five-year-old’s most recent defeat came when third on the Parks course when racing over 1000m in a Benchmark 80 handicap in May.

Two of the pick’s three subsequent wins have come at Murray Bridge, including when victorious on a soft 5 track in a Benchmark 72 handicap over 1200m four weeks ago.

Klabel had previously saluted by half-a-length in a Benchmark 78 handicap held on a wet track at Gawler in early July and he has forecast underfoot conditions to suit.

Taylor Johnstone, on board last time out, takes a valuable three-kilograms off the gelding’s back here and her mount looks capable of continuing his winning run.