David Jolly’s impressive Spring Stakes winner in Adelaide last start, Behemoth has opened early favourite to defeat a gun field of weight-for-age hopefuls in Saturday’s 15-horse Memsie Stakes 2020 line-up.

Behemoth has opened early favourite to win the Group 1 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday. Photo: Jenny Barnes.

The opening elite level of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival following Sydney’s Group 1 Winx Stakes last Saturday, the Group 1 $750,000 Memsie Stakes (1400m) has drawn a quality field with a host of single-figure fancies in the post-acceptance markets at Ladbrokes.com.au.

Currently sitting top of the Memsie Stakes odds at $4 to continue his winning ways, All Too Hard five-year-old Behemoth is back up in Group 1 grade following his close fourth behind Trekking at Morphettville in the Group 1 The Goodwood (1200m) back in mid-May.

Group 3 wins also at his hope track in South Australia can be found either side of The Goodwood run with his Group 3 DC McKay success over 1100m in the winter and his first-up Spring Stakes win over 1200m on August 15.

In the Spring Stakes Behemoth defeated Dalasan by nearly two lengths carrying 58.5kg and jockey Craig Williams comes aboard for the galloper’s Melbourne test from a gun barrier two draw this weekend.

Williams chases his third Memsie Stakes win since 2006 having previously ridden the brilliant Miss Finland (2007) and more recently Vega Magic (2017) to victory.

The Adelaide raider will need to be improving at WFA with 59kg on his back, but the bookies are taking no chances with Behemoth who is out to be the seventh favourite in Memsie Stakes betting since 2006 to salute.

Following closely at $4.80 is the Godolphin-raced second elect Savatiano for trainer James Cummings.

Drawn wider in gate 11 with Mark Zahra retaining the ride, the talented daughter of Street Cry was excellent first-up a fortnight ago winning the Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes at this track and distance.

She beat plenty of the same horses she meets at elite level here and presents fitter for the run so is sure to be a danger as she looks to make it three-from-three over the 1400m at Caulfield.

The only other single-figure fancy in the markets at $6.50 is the Grant & Alana Williams-trained Arcadia Queen who has a wide barrier 13 draw to overcome second-up.

Damian Lane, the Memsie Stakes winning hoop aboard Humidor (2018) two years ago, partners the Group 1 Kingston Town Classic winner who resumed with a fifth in the PB Lawrence Stakes.

The daughter of Pierro has had 10 starts now for six wins and remains lightly-raced with plenty of scope to improve as she looks to return to winning form.

The best of the double-figure chances chasing an upset include Savatiano’s stablemate Cascadian ($11) who is a multiple Group 1 placegetter, inaugural All-Star Mile winner Mystic Journey ($11) who is still to hit the same heights as her three-year-old autumn campaign in 2018 and the returning Group 1 Champagne Stakes runner-up Glenfiddich ($12).

Making his three-year-old debut against the older horses in the Memsie, valuable Fastnet Rock colt Glenfiddich has his first start for returning trainer Peter Moody in the Group 1 and will be ridden by Craig Newitt on the 50.5kg lightweight.

Click here for the latest Memsie Stakes 2020 odds on the final field courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2020 Memsie Stakes Field  

Table Credit: Racing Australia.