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Monday Racebook: Horses to follow, forgive from Memsie Stakes Day

Racenet’s Brad Waters analyses Saturday’s Memsie Stakes meeting at Caulfield, which unearthed some promising types that can be followed in the coming weeks.

Brad Waters
4 min read
September 2, 2024 - 7:00AM
Let'sbefrankbaby showed she was one to follow in the coming weeks after her first-up run with 63kg at Caulfield on Memsie Stakes Day. Picture: Racing Photos
Let'sbefrankbaby showed she was one to follow in the coming weeks after her first-up run with 63kg at Caulfield on Memsie Stakes Day. Picture: Racing Photos

Saturday’s Caulfield meeting produced the perfect start to the spring in the Memsie Stakes while some promising types emerged that can be followed in the coming weeks.

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FIVE TO FOLLOW

LET’SBEFRANKBABY (5th, Race 3)
Could not have made a better start to her spring campaign than her first-up run behind long-priced winner Convenor at Caulfield. The five-year-old had not raced since her fourth in the Sandown Cup over 3200m in June but the mare performed strongly in a BM78 race on Saturday. She carried a massive 63kg first-up and boxed on well to finish on the heels of the placegetters. She’ll drop in weight as she steps up in class and distance.

GROWING EMPIRE (1st, Race 6)
An obvious one to follow out of the Caulfield meeting but the colt’s first-up win was simply outstanding. Jockey Mark Zahra was happy to track the leaders three-wide with cover to the home turn but Growing Empire’s sharp acceleration quickly ended the McNeil Stakes as a contest. The three-year-old won by 1-¼ lengths but could have been much greater had Zahra not eased him down late.

WOLLOMBI (7th, Race 7)
Worked well at Caulfield on Tuesday morning but the mare had no luck when she returned to the track on Saturday. Wollombi had her first run for five weeks in the Group 3 Cockram Stakes but never really got a clear crack at the leaders in the last 200m. However, she was only two lengths from the winner Quintessa but should have finished much closer.

FORTUNATE KISS (8th, Race 7)
Finished alongside Wollombi in the Cockram Stakes and also had no luck in the straight. Barrier one turned out to be a hindrance to Fortunate Kiss as her jockey Zac Spain had no option but to sit still with nowhere to go on his mount in the straight. Fortunate Kiss was Group 3-placed over 1400m in the autumn and can improve.

HERE TO SHOCK (2nd, Race 10)
The Lindsay Park-trained gelding jumped out well before his first-up run at Caulfield but the gelding did a terrific job to finish as close as he did. A wide barrier made his task tougher as jockey Celine Gaudray took him forward to race handy to the speed early. Here To Shock challenged the leaders in the straight and fought on well under 60.5kg until was grabbed by the smart Another Wil late. He’ll only improve and was a Group 3 winner two runs back.

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CRUNCH TIME

ANOTHER WIL topped the timesheets when he charged home to win the last race on Memsie Stakes Day. Barrier 16 forced Jamie Kah to take Another Wil well back in the field to the home turn but the Ciaron Maher-trained galloper ran the fastest last 600m (33.96s), 400m (22.02s) and 200m (11.09s) of the day. JIMMY THE BEAR continues to race well, running the third fastest last 600m in 34.17 seconds. LA DANSEUSE ROUGE caught the eye in the Cockram Stakes, clocking the fifth fastest sectionals of the day.

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PLEASE FORGIVE

THE OPEN (2nd, Race 2)
Started as the $3.20 favourite but should be forgiven for his defeat on two counts. The Patrick Payne-trained galloper had no luck early, being posted three-wide without cover for the entire race, which he would have got away with had the smart Craig not been in the race. He has been up a while but continues to perform well.

RISE TO IT (6th, Race 3)
Jumped as the $3.10 favourite in his assignment but circumstances might have played against him at Caulfield. Rise To It worked to join the tiring leader Station One at the 400m, and was left in front on the home turn. He boxed on solidly but the fact Saturday’s race was his first for four weeks told late. He’ll be much fitter last time in.

PRIDE OF JENNI (5th, Race 9)
Beaten in the Memsie Stakes but punters can forgive her fifth to Pinstriped when resuming. Pride Of Jenni has never won first-up and had to work into a strong wind down the side of the track from the 900m. She tired in the straight but will improve sharply on that.

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TRACK TALK

“They don’t win much better than that. I thought this prep, today would be the day, if he was going to get beaten, today would be the day and at the 400 (metres) I didn’t have to worry about that.” — Jockey Mark Zahra said Growing Empire should only continue to improve on his McNeil Stakes win.

“Started at (Greg) Eurell’s years ago, he said I was hopeless, didn’t have the work ethic, just patience, it’s great to be here with (daughter) Addison and everyone who’s had faith in me.” — Cranbourne trainer Enver Jusufovic was emotional after posting his maiden Group 1 win in the Memsie Stakes.

“The main positive is how strong she was through the line. Obviously, we were hoping for better than that, but I think going forward the real positive will be stepping up in trip.” — Pride Of Jenni’s jockey Declan Bates found the positives in the mare’s Memsie Stakes defeat.

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STEWARDS SAY

SASSY BOOM (5th, Race 1): Raced wide in the early stages before crossing to settle outside the leader at the 800m.

CARBONADOS (Scratched, Race 2): Lame in the right hind leg after kicking out at the barrier.

Jockey LUKE NOLEN was suspended for eight meetings for careless riding on Mathew in Race 3.

ALDER (6th, Race 4): Vet’s examination revealed a throat condition.

FEROCE (7th, Race 6): Held up from the 400m and unable to be tested in the straight.

QUE TEMPESTA (5th, Race 8): Hung in under pressure in the straight & proved difficult for rider to obtain clear running.

Inquiry adjourned into jockey JAMIE KAH’s tactics on LETSFACETHEMUSIC in Race 6.

Originally published as Monday Racebook: Horses to follow, forgive from Memsie Stakes Day

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Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/horse-racing/vic-racing/monday-racebook-horses-to-follow-forgive-from-memsie-stakes-day/news-story/790a1b782856eb77f4301c4a8a9827d5