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Lightsaber to kick-off in Memsie Stakes

3 minute read

After three trials, Lightsaber is ready to step out in the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield.

LIGHTSABER winning the Neds Caulfield Guineas Prelude at Caulfield in Australia.
LIGHTSABER winning the Neds Caulfield Guineas Prelude at Caulfield in Australia. Picture: Racing Photos

Peter Moody is hoping for the prediction of no more rain and a Caulfield track improving into the soft range will enable Lightsaber to kick off his campaign. 

Lightsaber is down to run in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) on Saturday, but Moody is fearful of heavy ground for the four-year-old. 

After more than 35mm for the week and 7mm on Wednesday, Caulfield was posted as a Heavy 8 on Thursday morning, but with no rain forecast on Friday and Saturday it is hoped the track will get back into the soft range by race day. 

Moody said Lightsaber was in good order as he prepares to kick-off his campaign. 

"He's had three trials, although two of them were on very wet ground hence the reason I gave him three to get some benefit out of it," Moody said. 

"He loves the seven at Caulfield and hopefully it gets back to that soft range. 

"He's got improvement in him. He's a four-year-old bull, a big strong horse and he looks enormous, and his form says he should be going to that type of race." 

Lightsaber has not raced since finishing second last in the All-Star Mile at Flemington in March which followed an unlucky second to Hitotsu in the Australian Guineas at his previous run. 

Moody abandoned thoughts of going to Sydney with the then three-year-old saying the heavy tracks would have been against while also wanting to give him a 'mental break'. 

Lightsaber had developed some barrier issues last autumn, but Moody said there had been no signs of those this campaign. 

Moody said Saturday's run outing will determine where Lightsaber heads, with the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington or the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield being options. 

"If runs well and shows me he's fit enough, he could go to the Makybe Diva. He got beaten a head in the Australian Guineas by Hitotsu and he would be odds-on in the Makybe Diva, I'd reckon," Moody said. 

It's a hot race on Saturday, but he'll be competitive, and it will give us an idea of where we head." 


Racing and Sports

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