Following an exciting first leg of the NZB Caulfield Spring WFA Championship, an even bigger clash looms on Saturday in Melbourne's first Group 1 race of the 2018-19 season – the A$1 million New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m).
In a blanket finish to the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) two weeks ago, Showtime(Snitzel) claimed victory by a long neck from the defending champion Hartnell(Authorized).Widgee Turf(Turffontein) was another neck away in third, while Kings Will Dream(Casamento), Grunt(NZ) (O'Reilly) and Jungle Edge(Dubawi) all finished within a length of the winner.
Showtime, Kings Will Dream, Grunt and Jungle Edge are back for a rematch in Saturday's Memsie, where they will be joined by last year's winnerVega Magic(Lope de Vega), the Group 1-winning Godolphin starKementari(Lonhro) and the multiple Group 1 winnerHappy Clapper(Teofilo).
The exciting match-up is the second of four legs in the NZB Caulfield Spring WFA Championship Series. The third leg is the A$750,000 Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) on September 30, then the Series concludes with the A$1 million Group 1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m) on October 13.
The Memsie Stakes is Race 7 on Saturday with a start time of 4.10pm (6.10pm NZT).
