Champion trainer of Black Caviar fame Peter Moody makes his return to Group 1 racing on Saturday saddling-up the early market mover Glenfiddich in the 2020 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield.

PB Lawrence Stakes winner Savatiano is on the drift in 2020 Memsie Stakes betting at Caulfield for Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.

It is a star-studded field of 15 gathered for the Group 1 $750,000 Memsie Stakes (1400m) as elite level racing kicks off for the spring in Melbourne.

Taking on the older horses in the weight-for-age feature is the now Moody-trained Glenfiddich, the nicely-bred Fastnet Rock colt making his three-year-old debut.

The young bay has been a work in progress having had nine starts to date, all with former trainer Robbie Giffiths, for just the one win when saluting in the Mornington Sires’ Produce Stakes (1500m) at his seventh run back in May.

He has been on the improve ever since his Group 1 Blue Diamond disappointment in February when second last (14^th) behind Tagaloa – who resumes in the Group 3 H.D.F. McNeil Stakes on Saturday – in the $1.5 million autumn classic.

After the colt’s breakthrough win, he went to Sydney and was hampered by a Heavy (8) Randwick track finishing mid-field behind King’s Legacy in the Group 1 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m).

Glenfiddich was then last seen relishing the step-up to a mile and a Good (4) track when second behind the same horse at big odds in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) on April 18.

Moody chases his third win in the Memsie Stakes having prepared past champions King’s Rose (2011) and Dissident (2014).

He’s back in 2020 saddling-up a genuine chance and has been happy to sing the up-and-comer praises ahead of his acid test this week.

Drawn gate 10 with Craig Newitt to ride, Glenfiddich has been backed in from $12 to $10 in the latest Memsie Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au that have the David Jolly-trained Adelaide raider Behemoth ($4) on top.

Jumping from a good barrier two draw with Craig Williams in the saddle, All Too Hard five-year-old Behemoth comes off a nearly two length win over Dalasan in Morphettville’s Group 3 Spring Stakes (1500m) from August 15.

That was his second Group 3 victory in three starts with a fourth to Trekking in the Group 1 The Goodwood (1200m) in May sandwiched between the wins.

He heads to the big city this weekend for the Memsie Stakes having his first run in Melbourne since the fourth to Begood Toya Mother in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes (1200m) around this time last year.

The easing second elect in Memsie Stakes betting out to $5 is the James Cummings-trained Savatiano coming off her first-up Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes success at the track and distance two weeks ago.

Despite being fit and in-form, the punters are shying away from the Godolphin-raced mare to make it two on the trot as she chases her first Group 1 success.

Rounding out the single-figure fancies in the latest markets on the Memsie are the widely-drawn Arcadia Queen ($7) for Grant & Alana Williams and the Adam Trinder-trained inaugural All-Star Mile winner Mystic Journey ($9.50) looking to return to form here from a positive gate four draw.

Click here for the latest Memsie Stakes 2020 odds online courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.