Heart Of Dreams will be first up in the Memsie Stakes
The Memsie Stakes will be the first up test for a host of horses this Saturday at Caulfield Racecourse and among them will be Heart Of Dreams.
The six year old goes into the race with the highest rating of 115 and he also brings in a bit of form after a solid barrier trial at Cranbourne.
Under the guidance of Damian Oliver Heart Of Dreams cruised around the 900m trial on Monday and although well behind the winner Toorak Toff in third, trainer Mick Price says it’s all systems go coming into this weekend.
“He was beaten six-and-a-quarter lengths but that’s OK because he was only having a soft trial,” Price said.
“It it is not the time to have a hard trial five days before Saturday.
“So he’s running in the Memsie, he’s had a good prep, I’m very happy with him.
“He’s a weight-for-age horse, it’s on his home track and he’s there to run well.”
The ultimate goal for Heart Of Dreams in the spring is the $3 million Cox Plate which will be run at Moonee Valley on October 22nd.
He last ran in the Cox Plate as a four year old in 2009 finishing seventh behind So You Think, the 2040m distance still a bit of a query.
He is a dual Group 1 champion having won the 2009 Underwood Stakes as well as the 2011 St George Stakes.
Both of those events are 1800m around Caulfield though, very different to the just over two kilometres of the tight turning Moonee Valley.
Still though connections are hopeful they can draw out the extra couple of hundred metres and it all starts in the Memsie Stakes this Saturday.
It’s a race that is often used by quality horses first up for the spring and in 2011 it appears to be no different.
After being scratched from the Warwick Stakes last week due to the track conditions Maluckyday is likely to make his first appearance in the same event.
All up there are 22 nominations at this stage with other top hopes including Australian Oaks champion Absolutely, VRC Oaks champion Brazillian Pulse, Australian Derby winner Shamrocker, and Caulfield Guineas champion Anacheeva.
The Memsie Stakes has a history of unveiling champions in waiting for the rest of the spring carnival and is certainly an important event to follow.
Last years winner So You Think went on to then win four straight Group 1’s including the Cox Plate.
In the year 2000 Sunline also grabbed the Memsie Stakes / Cox Plate double and in 2005 Makybe Diva did the same as well as then snatching a third straight Melbourne Cup.
