Caulfield Blackbookers August 29 – Horses to Follow from Memsie Stakes Day

Here are our blackbookers and horses to follow from the action.

There was plenty to take out of Race 1, with just over a length separating the first eight across the line in a messy affair. Naina was held up from the 300m until shifting into clear running passing the 150m but still managed to produce the fastest final 400m and 200m of the race, suggesting she had plenty more to offer. She has raced just three times this year, with each run spaced, and it will be interesting to see her get back to 1600m after tackling that trip at Flemington in May. Butternut Princess also had little luck, being held up from the 250m until passing the 50m before again being inconvenienced close to the line and never getting fully tested. She has been building nicely in similar company this campaign and is worth sticking with when she gets a cleaner crack at them.

Liked the work of Jennivamoose in Race 3, with the lightly raced and late-maturing seven-year-old looking ready to peak as she gets out over further. She has had just 17 starts for five wins and took out two races over 2500m at Moonee Valley last spring before finishing fourth in the Archer Stakes over the same trip at Flemington. Jennivamoose returned this campaign with a promising third behind First Chorus over 1800m before again filling the minor placings behind Saint George on Saturday, producing the fastest final 200m of the race. With two runs now under her belt, she looks cherry ripe and should appreciate stepping up in distance at her next start.

Oliveanotherday continues to progress through the grades and made it five wins on the trot with an impressive return in The Heath 1100. The Tom Dabernig-trained sprinter rounded out his previous campaign by winning the Listed Wangoom Stakes at Warrnambool and had no trouble making the transition to Group company at Caulfield. He tracked Bridal Waltz from barrier one and briefly found himself held up in the straight, but once the gap appeared he accelerated sharply and quickly put the race away, scoring by 1.5 lengths. He has now won six of eight career starts and appears to have returned a more mature galloper this preparation, with the Manikato Stakes looming as a potential Group 1 target. The quality of his acceleration suggests there is still more to come as he tackles stronger company this spring.

Nice return by Unit Five in the McNeil Stakes and there should be plenty of improvement to come as he gets out over further. The Magic Millions winner had excuses when well supported in the Blue Diamond earlier this year and again had to do things the harder way on Saturday, settling midfield before being forced wide around the turn while eventual winner American Eagle was able to save ground and gain the split closer to the inside. Unit Five still closed strongly to finish runner-up and produced the fastest final 200m of the race. He should be better suited as the distances increase and is well worth keeping in mind in the early markets for the Caulfield Guineas later in the spring.

Beiwacht was able to control the Memsie Stakes from the front, but there was plenty to like about the runs of Cosmic Crusader and Birdman behind him. Cosmic Crusader lost no admirers in third after racing keenly early and being carried wider approaching the 600m, with William Pike also forced to make his run without a suitable horse to drag him into the contest. The West Australian stuck on strongly and gives the impression he may now be looking for 1600m and beyond. Birdman was arguably even more eye-catching in sixth, with the lack of tempo making his task difficult over a distance short of his best. After winning three of six during his previous preparation, including the Blamey Stakes, Peter Young Stakes and Doomben Cup, he returned with a powerful finish and recorded the second-fastest final 200m of the entire meeting, bettered only by Oliveanotherday. He should take plenty of improvement from the run and looks set for another strong campaign once he gets out over further.

The imports Deakin and Zahraan both produced encouraging performances in the Heatherlie Stakes and look capable of making their presence felt as the spring progresses. Deakin has now had a couple of years to acclimatise to Australian racing and could be in for his best local preparation yet, having already shown his quality when not far away in both the Turnbull Stakes and Caulfield Cup last spring. He resumed with a strong third behind Kingswood on Saturday and should only improve as the distances increase. Zahraan was another to catch the eye, running on well into fourth at just his third Australian start. The lightly raced five-year-old was a Group 2 winner over 2011m at the Curragh last year and had shown promise locally when third over 2000m at Flemington in June. With just nine career starts to his name, there should be further improvement to come and he could be worth keeping in mind at bigger odds in some of the spring staying features.