The Macedon Lodge team of Lloyd Williams have wasted no time scratching Fawkner from the 2015 Memsie Stakes that will be held at Caulfield.
Stratum Star has earnt a start in the Memsie Stakes following the scratching of Fawkner. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Fawkner was included in the 2015 Memsie Stakes field that was released this morning, but Team Williams quickly opted to scratch the two-time Group 1 winner from the race after he was allocated the outside gate.
The Reset gelding will instead take part in an exhibition gallop between races at Caulfield on Saturday and is likely to return to the races in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 12 before he presses on to races like the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on October 10 and the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley.
The scratching of Fawkner means that first emergency Stratum Star will now receive a run in the Memsie Stakes and he is set to jump from barrier eight with Ben Melham in the saddle.
Stratum Star was one of the most consistent three-year-old performers of his generation and he performed impressively during the 2015 Melbourne Festival Of Racing without breaking through for a race win.
The Stratum entire started his autumn campaign with a second place finish behind Profit Share in the Hill Plate (1300m) at Sandown on February 7 and he finished third behind Wandjina in both the Group 3 CS Hayes Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on February 21 and the Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at the same venue a fortnight.
Stratum Star was sent to the spelling paddock after he finished a very close second behind Chill Party in the Group 2 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) at Moonee Valley on March 20, but he returned to racing with a fast-finishing seventh after being settled at the tail of the field in the Listed Regal Roller Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on August 15.
Trainer Darren Weir is hopeful that Stratum Star can be competitive at the highest level of racing during the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival and the four-year-old is set to head towards races like the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on September 26 and the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) at the same venue a fortnight later after running in the Memsie Stakes this weekend.
Imported galloper Trevieres is now the first emergency for the Memsie Stakes, but Pressing and Charmed Harmony will both need at least two more runners to withdraw in order to earn a place in the field.
Pressing will likely head to Sydney if he misses out on a start in the Memsie Stakes, while Charmed Harmony could be saved for the Group 2 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley next Saturday.
