The James Cummings trained Alizee can continue the winning run of quality mares in the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday. Although mares have not been successful in the last five runnings they have been to the fore since the turn of the century.
The new era in the Memsie Stakes began in 2000 when the New Zealand champion Sunline was triumphant. She continued on winning again the following year and since then her success has been followed by Magical Miss [2002] Makybe Diva [2005], Miss Finland [2007], King’s Rose [2011] and Atlantic Jewel [2013].
It is worth noting the 1998 winner was another mare Dane Ripper, whose trained by James’s grandfather Bart Cummings. Coincidently Dane Ripper was ridden by Damien Oliver who will be aboard Alizee.
Now edging into the veteran category Oliver has not ridden in better style. Added to that he is a master tactician who’s prerace planning can be expected to give Alizee the best possible chance of success, even though she will start from barrier 11.
After winning the Expressway Stakes [1200m] first-up in February Alizee won the Futurity over the Memsie course and distance second-up. It is a formula that James is following this campaign with the five-year-old going into the race second-up after having won the Missile Stakes [1200m] at her season’s debut.
Even though she scored by only a head Alizee was brought with a long run out wide before being eased down in the concluding stages allowing Invincible Gem to get close on the line. Invincible Gem has since franked that form with a luckless third in the Group 1 Winx Stakes at Randwick last Saturday.
One of the hardest for Alizee to beat will be her nine-year-old stablemate Hartnell, who is one of the most gallant performers to grace the Australian turf.He rarely performs below expectations and has a particularly good record at Caulfield where his efforts include a win in the C F Orr and seconds the Underwood Stakes and Toorak Handicap.
Star West Australian Scales Of Justice, who is now trained out of Lindsey Smith’s Warrnambool stable, goes into the race on the back of two very good performances.
After trouncing his opposition in the Bletchingly Stakes [1200m] at Caulfield he was wide and jockey Dean Yendall went earlier than he needed to in the Spring Stakes at Morphettville two weeks ago, which led to Scales Of Justice being collared near the post by emerging three-year-old Dalasan.
The gelding has drawn ideally in barrier five and with two runs under his belt will appreciate the 1400m.
Five-year-old entire Cliff’s Edge, who has been knocking on the door for a Group 1 win must have an outstanding chance. At his second outing following an extended break he was only run down in the concluding stages by the classy Tasmanian mare Mystic Journey in the P.B. Lawrence at Caulfield two weeks ago. A front-runner he will jump from barrier two and jockey Mark Zahra will have the choice of going to the lead or sitting right on the pace.
Another who will be vying for the lead is Begood Toya Mother, who has a boom on him after winning at each of his six outings this year. The gelding began his winning sequence in a lowly benchmark 64 at Warrnambool in March and has progressed through to capturing the Listed Regal Roller at Caulfield but this is another step up in class.
It will be interesting to see how the Hawkes trained Sesar performs. He was ultra impressive scoring on heavy ground at Randwick when resuming before wobbling around the turn when favourite in the Bletchingly Stakes at his first outing around a left-handed turn. He then redeemed himself to some extent with a strong finishing third in Auries Star.
Selections
- Alizee [11]
- Scales Of Justice [5]
- Hartnell [1]
- Cliff’s Edge [6]
