Sabaj and Planet Red to debut in Memsie Stakes

Trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr are launching the spring campaigns of gallopers Sabaj and Planet Red in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield. While the duo could have opted for the softer Evergreen Turf Handicap, they chose the Memsie Stakes due to its smaller field of 12 runners compared to the 15 expected in the Evergreen.

The Memsie Stakes field includes several Group 1 winners such as Mr Brightside, Jimmysstar, Tom Kitten, Buckaroo, Birdman, Autumn Boy, Beiwacht, and Treasurethe Moment, alongside Angel Capital and the undefeated Cosmic Crusader.

Jamie Melham and Blake Shinn have been booked to ride Sabaj and Planet Red, respectively. Mick Price noted that while both horses are performing well in recent trials, a victory in this specific race would be unexpected. He suggested both horses may be better suited for mile handicaps, such as the Toorak, and indicated they might eventually head north for races like the Five Diamonds or the Golden Eagle later in the spring.