Early money has come in for Darren Weir’s reigning champion Black Heart Bart in 2017 Memsie Stakes betting to upset the hot favourite Vega Magic at Caulfield on Saturday.  

Opening elite level racing for the new season the Group 1 $1 million Memsie Stakes (1400m) has drawn a star-studded field of 12 weight-for-age hopefuls.  

Drawn just better than midfield in barrier five with last year’s winning hoop Brad Rawiller retaining the ride is Black Heart Bart looking to go back-to-back in the race for the first time since Sunline (2000-01). 

The now seven-year-old champion opened at $6 in Memsie Stakes betting at Ladbrokes.com.au post-acceptances and has since firmed into $5.50 second favouritism.  

Rawiller chases his third Memsie Stakes win overall having also partnered Weekend Hussler to success back in 2008.  

Favourites have a gun recent record in the Memsie Stakes results with four of the past five saluting for the punters including Black Heart Bart last Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.  

The Blackfriars gelding won the race first-up last season having run second in Brisbane’s Stradbroke Handicap during the winter.  

This year Black Heart Bart lines-up in the Memsie Stakes field second-up after his third at the track and distance, where he also boasts wins in the CF Orr – Futurity Stakes during the autumn, behind Hartnell in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m).  

Out to continue the outstanding strike rate of Memsie Stakes favourites on Saturday is the Lindsay Park-trained Vega Magic.  

[lbox text=Vega Magic is out to be the fifth Memsie Stakes favourite in six years to salute for the punters]  

The Lope De Vega five-year-old sits top of the Memsie Stakes odds at $2.80 after drawing barrier three, which last produced a winner in 2007 with the mare Miss Finland. 

Miss Finland was prepared by David Hayes who is now the head trainer of Lindsay Park who are represented in the race by Vega Magic and $34 outsider Seaburge. 

Jockey Craig Williams rode Vega Magic to Group 1 glory in Adelaide back on May 20 in The Goodwood (1200m) and reunites with the horse in the Memsie Stakes.  

Vega Magic is also second-up on the weekend following a resuming win at Caulfield on August 19 in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes (1200m) when ridden by Damien Oliver.  

Since 1994 just one Memsie Stakes winner saluted at double figures when Dissident posted an upset in 2014 as a $12 shot.  

Along with Vega Magic and Black Heart Bart there are a further three hopes under $10 in the markets for the Memsie this year with Le Romain ($6), the rails-drawn Hey Doc ($6.50) and resuming mare Yankee Rose ($9.50).  

Newcastle trainer Kris Lees is after his first Memsie Stakes trophy saddling-up three-time Group 1 winner Le Romain from gate six.  

The Hard Spun five-year-old is yet to race at the Caulfield track with the Memsie Stakes being his first assignment outside of Sydney.  

He comes off a lead-up second back on August 5 at Randwick in the Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m) and from four starts at the distance boasts four second place finishes.  

Hey Doc with the inside run also looks a huge danger, the Tony McEvoy-trained four-year-old coming off a Flemington win in the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m).  

He is also proven in elite grade having won the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) in March so will appreciate the step-up in distance for the Memsie Stakes. 

David Vandyke’s Group 1 winner Yankee Rose is the unknown racing for the first time since her failed 14th in the Group 1 Crown Oaks (2500m) last Melbourne Cup Carnival.  

See below for the latest Memsie Stakes 2017 odds, betting open now at Ladbrokes.com.au.