Group 1 racing for the Melbourne Spring Carnival gets underway today, Saturday August 28, at Caulfield Racecourse in the form of Memsie Stakes Day 2021 and below we take a look at the latest scratchings and track report ahead of the first.

Tofane (pictured in Melbourne) returns to racing in the 2021 Memsie Stakes this weekend at Caulfield. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Caulfield Track Report – 28/08/2021

Melbourne Racing Club  

• Rail: True Entire Circuit
• Weather: Fine
• Dual Track Meeting: N
• Track Type: Turf
• Track Rating: Good (4)
• General Comment: Finalised 28/8 – 7:45am
• Irrigation: nil
• Rainfall: nil last 24 hours, 9.6mm last 7 days
• Track Information: Inspection 6:30AM 28/8; Going stick is 8.8, shear of 8.8. Soil moisture 20.2%

The weather in Melbourne today is mostly sunny and without any rain on the radar the current Good (4) Caulfield track rating looks set to remain across the afternoon.

Caulfield racing gets underway at 12:20pm (AEST) and the nine-race card is scheduled to come to a close at 5:20pm (AEST).

Four Group status races headline the program starting with the three-year-old sprinters facing off in Race 4 at 2:10pm (AEST) for the Group 3 $200,000 H.D.F. McNeil Stakes (1200m).

The 2021 McNeil Stakes field of potential Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes-bound youngsters is down to eight with the early withdrawal of Exceed And Expect (6) and it is resuming Blue Diamond winner Artorius narrowly leading betting at Ladbrokes.com.au.

Next-up a field of possible The Everest horses do battle in Race 5 at 2:50pm (AEST) with the running of the Group 3 $200,000 The Heath 1100 Stakes (1100m), Group 1 William Reid winner from the autumn Masked Crusader the deserving odds-on favourite.

It is the mares’ turn in Race 6 at 3:30pm (AEST) with the Jamie Richards-trained Group 1 champion Probabeel the red-hot favourite despite a big weight and wide gate in a race where La Mexicana is the notable scratching.

The meeting’s marquee event is the Group 1 $1 million Memsie Stakes (1400m) set to run as Race 8 at 4:45pm (AEST).

The 2021 Memsie Stakes field features 11 of the 12 original acceptors after the withdrawal of Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes winning mare Sierra Sue due to a foot abscess.

Among the best in Memsie Stakes betting are last year’s champ Behemoth back chasing successive wins and returning Stradbroke – Tiara winning mare from the winter Tofane.

See below for the full Caulfield race scratchings and jump times for the Memsie Stakes Day card before heading to Ladbrokes.com.au for all the weekend’s top racing odds.

Caulfield Scratchings – 28/08/2021

• Total Scratchings:

Race 1 (12:20pm) – $130,000 Neds Handicap (2400m)

• No current scratchings

Race 2 (12:55pm) – $75,000 Volvo Cars Brighton Handicap (1100m)

• #4 High Cost (2)
• #6 Tony Nicconi (10)
• #11 Enfleurage (5)

Race 3 (1:30pm) – $130,000 Evergreen Turf Handicap (1400m)

• #1 Only Words (7)

Race 4 (2:10pm) – Group 3 $200,000 H.D.F. McNeil Stakes (1200m)

• #4 Exceed Expect (6)

Race 5 (2:50pm) – Group 3 $200,000 McCafe The Heath 1100 Stakes (1100m)

• No current scratchings

Race 6 (3:30pm) – Group 3 $200,000 W.W. Cockram Stakes (1200m)

• #3 La Mexicana (7)

Race 7 (4:10pm) – Listed $160,000 Tile Importer Heatherlie Stakes (1700m)

• #14 Mr Money Bags (8)
• #15 Toryjoy (19)
• #18e Kinane (9)
• #19e Barbie’s Fox (12)

Race 8 (4:45pm) – Group 1 $1,000,000 Moet & Chandon Memsie Stakes (1400m)

• #12 Sierra Sue (5)

Race 9 (5:20pm) – $130,000 Neds Filter Form Handicap (1400m)

• #4 Great Again (6)
• #7 King Of Hastings
• #8 Sierra Sue (5)
• #14 Djukon (4)

*All times quoted are local (AEST) and subject to change