The Memsie Stakes 2024 delivered a thrilling upset as Pinstriped claimed the opening Group 1 of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival with, outpacing the heavily backed favourite Mr Brightside at Caulfield.
2024 Memsie Stakes winner Pinstriped enjoyed his first Group 1 victory. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Jockey Ben Allen, picking up his second career Group 1 winning ride, expertly guided $14 shot Pinstriped to a late victory having settled just off the pace throughout.
“It feels pretty good!” Allen told Racing Victoria post-victory.
“It was pretty much how we scripted it, ideal, to hold the back of (Mr) Brightside and just follow it everywhere.
“I was going pretty well so I just had to pop on the bend, but this horse has been absolutely flying!
“He arguably should’ve won his last start; there’s a lot of doubters because he lays in quite badly and he still does a bit.”
“Massive shout out to (trainer) EJ and the owners who have been loyal as to me.
“EJ deserves it, he’s such a hard worker; big shout out to the owners and EJ for letting me stick with him.”
The six-year-old’s impressive performance when a narrow first-up second in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at the course and distance two weeks back foreshadowed his potential for a successful spring campaign.
The Ciaron Maher-trained mare Pride Of Jenni, the 6.5 length Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner from last prep, was an easy leader throughout but faded in the final stages and was gone by the bend.
This allowed Pinstriped to make a decisive move and challenge Mr Brightside who briefly had the lead with 200m to go. The finish was a nail-biter, with Pinstriped edging out Mr Brightside by a narrow margin.
In third was Mr Brightside’s P.B. Lawrence Stakes winning stablemate, Gentleman Roy, three lengths back in another Group 1 placing.
Antino, despite a slow start, displayed a strong finish and could be a contender for the Group 1 Toorak Handicap making up late ground to run fourth.
Trainer Enver Jusufovic celebrated his first Group 1 victory with Pinstriped’s win. The horse is now a potential contender for the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 14.
“It’s a true Group One when you’ve got Pride Of Jenni and Mr Brightside, but of course they were first up, we were second up,” he said.
“He pulled up so well first up and he’s got a great second up record so you’re not going to die wondering, this horse has promised.
“He’s got issues, but he’s just done so well this time in and it’s just fantastic.
“Well, you’re in the lap of the gods sometimes there but I think so, now that he’s won a Group One, I’ll just take every race as it comes and discuss it with Ben (Allen) and we’ll see whether we go to a Makybe (Diva) or a Feehan but it’ll be off to the pub tonight I think!”
Mr Brightside completed the Memsie Stakes-Makybe Diva Stakes double last year and markets at Ladbrokes – available in full here – have Pinstriped into $12 to repeat the feat.
2024 Memsie Stakes Results & Finishing Order
| Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Penalty | Starting Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | PINSTRIPED | Enver Jusufovic | Ben Allen | 3 | 59kg | $14 | |||
| 2 | 1 | MR BRIGHTSIDE (NZ) | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | Craig Williams | 0.4L | 4 | 59kg | $2.50F | ||
| 3 | 3 | GENTLEMAN ROY | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | Mark Zahra | 2.65L | 8 | 59kg | $9 | ||
| 4 | 6 | ANTINO (NZ) | Tony Gollan | Ms Jamie Kah | 3.65L | 6 | 59kg | $6 | ||
| 5 | 7 | PRIDE OF JENNI | Ciaron Maher | Declan Bates | 5.65L | 7 | 57kg | $2.90 | ||
| 6 | 4 | BANDERSNATCH | Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes | Jordan Childs | 5.9L | 2 | 59kg | $61 | ||
| 7 | 8 | VAGRANT | Mitchell Freedman | Beau Mertens | 6.15L | 5 | 57kg | $61 | ||
| 8 | 2 | AEGON (NZ) | Andrew Forsman | Vlad Duric | 15.15L | 1 | 59kg | $26 |
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