Memsie Stakes 2026 - Barrier Draw & Final Field

Alex Marsh

Editor

Last updated: Wed 26 Aug 2026 01:48

Alex Marsh 1 hour ago

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The Memsie Stakes is the first Group 1 of Melbourne’s new racing season
The barrier draw and final field have been released for the Caulfield feature
Saturday, August 29 shapes as an early spring highlight

Cosmic Crusader has drawn barrier 11 in the 2026 Memsie Stakes. (Getty)

The Memsie Stakes launches Melbourne’s Group 1 racing for the new season, with the 1400m weight-for-age feature to be run at Caulfield on Saturday, August 29.

Memsie Stakes 2026 - Barriers & Final Field
Memsie Stakes History

A deep field of proven Group 1 performers and emerging spring contenders shapes for the feature, with Cosmic Crusader (barrier 11) and Jimmysstar (barrier 8) among the headline runners.

Cosmic Crusader arrives in outstanding form after making it two wins from as many starts this preparation with victory in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes over this track and distance on August 15.

The Andrea Leek-trained galloper had also won the Bletchingly Stakes first-up and now gets his chance to convert that strong Caulfield form into a maiden Group 1 victory.

Jimmysstar resumes for Ciaron Maher after another solid campaign at the highest level, although he went winless across five autumn starts.

The multiple Group 1 winner has built an excellent record at Caulfield and brings proven weight-for-age credentials into an intriguing first-up clash with several well-credentialled rivals.

Angel Capital (barrier 5) has the advantage of race fitness after returning with a third behind Ninja in the Missile Stakes at Randwick earlier this month.

Chris Waller also has Beiwacht (barrier 7), who missed the Winx Stakes after being scratched with a minor temperature but remains among the leading Memsie Stakes contenders.

Evergreen star Mr Brightside (barrier 9) returns for another spring campaign and already boasts outstanding form in this race, having won the 2023 edition before finishing runner-up in both 2024 and 2025.

Defending champion Treasurethe Moment (barrier 6) also returns to Caulfield after winning the Memsie Stakes first-up last season, with trainer Matt Laurie again using the race as the starting point for her spring.

Tom Kitten (barrier 1) adds further Group 1 experience to the field, while Autumn Boy (barrier 3) begins another campaign after establishing himself among the leading three-year-olds last season.

Chris Waller also has Birdman (barrier 4) and Buckaroo (barrier 10) engaged, giving the stable considerable depth in the opening Victorian Group 1 of the season.

Planet Red (barrier 2) and stablemate Sabaj (barrier 12) add another pair of progressive four-year-olds to the field for Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr.

Planet Red steps into weight-for-age company after a three-year-old campaign that included placings in both the Caulfield Guineas and Australian Guineas, while Sabaj is another lightly raced talent being tested at the highest level early in his spring preparation.

A total of 12 runners make up the 2026 Memsie Stakes field, with a mixture of established Group 1 stars and emerging talent setting up one of the strongest early-season weight-for-age contests.

Memsie Stakes 2026 - Barriers & Final Field

No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight
1	Mr Brightside (NZ)	Ben, Will & JD Hayes	Craig Williams	9	59kg
2	Jimmysstar (NZ)	Ciaron Maher	TBA	8	59kg
3	Tom Kitten	Anthony & Sam Freedman	Mark Zahra	1	59kg
4	Buckaroo (GB)	Chris Waller	TBA	10	59kg
5	Angel Capital	Chris Waller	TBA	5	59kg
6	Birdman (IRE)	Chris Waller	TBA	4	59kg
7	Cosmic Crusader (NZ)	Andrea Leek	William Pike	11	59kg
8	Sabaj	Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr	Jamie Melham	12	59kg
9	Autumn Boy	Chris Waller	TBA	3	58.5kg
10	Beiwacht	Chris Waller	TBA	7	58.5kg
11	Planet Red	Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr	Blake Shinn	2	58.5kg
12	Treasurethe Moment	Matt Laurie	Damian Lane	6	57kg

Memsie Stakes History

The Memsie Stakes is one of Caulfield’s traditional early-season weight-for-age features, run over 1400m and first contested in 1899.

Long regarded as an important spring launching pad, the race was elevated to Group 1 status in 2013 and has since continued to attract many of Australia’s leading gallopers.

Its honour roll includes champions such as Sunline, Makybe Diva, So You Think and Atlantic Jewel, while Behemoth became the most recent dual winner when claiming back-to-back editions in 2020 and 2021.

Mr Brightside added his name to the list in 2023, before Pinstriped won in 2024 and Treasurethe Moment resumed with victory in the 2025 edition.