Front runner Charmed Harmony is set to get an easy lead in the Group 1 $500,000 New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield today following the scratching of Lord Of The Sky.
Charmed Harmony, above, should be able to find the lead in the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
The Robbie Laing trained Lord Of The Sky, who also runs his best races from the front, and Charmed Harmony were set to fight for the lead in the early stages of the Memsie Stakes.
But the withdrawal of Lord Of The Sky due to a tendon injury has left Charmed Harmony with the opportunity to dictate the race from the front and give himself a chance to score an upset win at big odd.
Charmed Harmony, with the blinkers back on, has firmed in the betting from $26 to $19 with Ladbrokes.com.au and will be ridden by Tom Saddler who has had success on the seven year old on three previous occasions.
Mahuta, one of four horses trainer Darren Weir will saddle up in the Memsie Stakes, has led in the past but the four year old has been ridden just off the pace at his last three starts.
Charmed Harmony is a winner three times over the same course and distance as the Memsie Stakes and trainer John Sadler is not going to change the way the horse races when he tackles the classy weight for age field.
“He is not a difficult ride and he races forward,” Sadler said.
“It’s probably fairly obvious the way the race is going to be run.”
The Darren Weir trained Black Heart Bart is still a clear favourite at $2.50 with stablemates Mahuta at $5.50 and Palentino at $8 next in the market order.
Market order for the Memsie Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $2.50 Black Heart Bart, $5.50 Mahuta, $8 Palentino, $12 Alpine Eagle, $13 Tarzino, $14 Sofia Rosa, $16 Rising Romance, $19 Charmed Harmony, $21 He Or She, $31 Tally, $26 Prince Of Penzance, $51 Tashbeeh.
