Weir chasing more Group 1 glory in Memsie Stakes
Darren Weir finished the 2015/2016 racing season with seven Group 1 victories and the leading Victorian trainer will have a very strong hand in the first Group 1 of the new season on Saturday.
Weir is set to have four runners in the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield this weekend and it would not surprise if he has three horses at the top of the market by jump time.
Leading the Weir charge in the Memsie Stakes will be Black Heart Bart and he is currently on top of the 2016 Memsie Stakes betting market.
Black Heart Bart has been nothing short of a revelation since joining the Weir stable.
He made his debut for his new trainer with a close second in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap and he won the Group 3 Victoria Handicap (1400m) before finishing second at Group 1 level again in the All Aged Stakes.
Black Heart Bart recorded a maiden Group 1 victory in The Goodwood and he finished his campaign with a very close second behind Under The Louvre in the Stradbroke Handicap.
The Blackfriars gelding will still have plenty of residual fitness in the Memsie Stakes and it is no surprise that he has opened as a clear favourite.
Weir finished third in the Memsie Stakes last year with Stratum Star and Palentino is very similar horse.
Palentino won the Australian Guineas in the autumn and he returned to the races with an eye-catching fourth with a big weight on his back in the Regal Roller Stakes.
This looks like an ideal race for him and he has an excellent record over 1400 metres.
Mahuta may not have the same amount of talent as Black Heart Bart or Palentino, but he will go into the Memsie Stakes with a clear fitness edge.
He returned to the races with a more than credible third in the Bletchingly Stakes and he was slightly disappointing in the P.B. Lawrence Stakes – although the race was not run to suit.
Rounding out the four Weir-trained runners in the Memsie Stakes is Melbourne Cup winner Prince Of Penzance, who controversially will not have regular jockey Michelle Payne in the saddle.
Prince Of Penzance was given a very light autumn campaign following his memorable victory in the Melbourne Cup, but he put the writing on the wall for a big spring campaign with an impressive effort in the RA Lee Stakes at Morphettville on May 21.
1400 metres is well short of the best trip for Prince Of Penzance and it is likely that he will take plenty of benefit from the run on his way to a defence of his Melbourne Cup crown.
Prince Of Penzance is not the only Group 1 winner that will start their 2016 Spring Racing Carnival campaigns in the Memsie Stakes.
Australian Oaks winner Sofia Rosa, Australian Derby winner Tavago and Rosehill Guineas winner Tarzino are all on a path to the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups and we will get our first look at them as four-year-olds on Saturday, while the enigmatic Alpine Eagle will return to Melbourne racing for the first time in almost 12 months.
The Memsie Stakes is sure to tell us plenty going forward this spring and it truly is one of the most anticipated races on the Australian sporting calendar.