MEMORIA”S FIRST-UP RECORD SPEAKS FOR ITSELF

BOTH Memoria’s first-up statistics and record at Royal Randwick are hard to argue with.

Which is why she has an excellent value chance on resumption there tomorrow in the Benchmark 78 Handicap (1100m).

Apprentice Ben Osmond will ride the six-year-old daughter of Caravaggio; his 2kg allowance lessening her weight to 58kg, for his master, leading Newcastle trainer Kris Lees.

Memoria has won four from five first-up attempts, and hasn’t been out of a place in three starts at Randwick; winning once (against her own sex over 1200m in similar grade in April when she drew awkwardly) and being placed in the other two.

“Memoria never runs a bad race,” Lees said this morning.

“She is a very genuine mare and her first-up record speaks for itself.

“Memoria has trialled well twice at home in preparation for her return, and drawing the inside barrier is of course an advantage.

“She goes to the races in good order, and I’m sure will give a good account of herself once more.”

Memoria is Lees’ sole Randwick representative ahead of Tuesday’s $3m Big Dance there where both his representatives Tavi Time and Lord Of Biscay drew well in the big field.

Jay Ford rides Tavi Time, and Dylan Gibbons partners Lord Of Biscay.

Lees is in Melbourne where he will be represented by Infancy at the opening day of the four-day Melbourne Cup carnival at Flemington.

Craig Williams will ride topweight Infancy in the 1100m Sprint for mares four-year-old and upwards, and he has opted to put blinkers on her.

“Infancy has travelled well to Melbourne, and is no stranger to Flemington,” Lees said.

“She ran fifth in the Group 3 Begonia Belle over the same trip 12 months ago, and didn’t get a lot of room at an important stage.

“Infancy has drawn wide, and this being the last race, Craig (Williams) will know which plan to go with on the straight course.

“She ran well first-up in Sydney in the Group 3 Nivison (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on October 11, beaten less than three lengths.

“As she is coming back slightly in distance, I felt the blinkers might help her.”

Lees also has a solitary representative at the corresponding Eagle Farm meeting tomorrow.

Inver Park lines up in the Benchmark 85 Handicap (1600m), seeking to break through after two recent placings.

Apprentice Jace McMurray rides the gelding, taking 2kg off his 61.5kg handicap.

“Inver Park is fit and getting up to 1600m, and I think that will suit him,” Lees said.

“With storms in Brisbane, he won’t mind rain-affected ground either, having won on both soft and heavy tracks.”

All is well with Lees’ Melbourne Cup runner Changingoftheguard (Tim Clark), who will be a final acceptor tomorrow for Tuesday’s first ever $10m 3200m classic at Flemington.

. There are a host of provincial representatives chasing the big money in tomorrow’s $500,000 Four Pillars Midway (1500m) at Randwick.

Wyong’s Kristen Buchanan (Broadway Bouncer), Denim Wynen (Monkhana), Tracey Bartley (Dusty Bay) and Allan Kehoe (Prince Of Sorts), will be joined by Gosford’s Adam Duggan (All Hunky Dory), Kembla Grange’s Rob and Luke Price (Mogwai) and Mitch Beer and George Carpenter (Apollo Mossion), Hawkesbury’s Brad Widdup (Hyperbolic) and Jack Pilkington (Alabama State), and Newcastle’s Jason Deamer (Jack Duggan and Jumeirah Beach) and Jay Hopkins (Sonofdec).

Hawkesbury’s James Ponsonby (Philipsburg) and Kembla Grange’s Theresa Bateup (Direct Fire) have the second and fourth emergencies.

Whilst there are no provincial runners in the $10m Golden Eagle, leading Hawkesbury trainer Brad Widdup has Jedibeel (Tom Sherry) in the $3m Russell Balding Stakes (1300m) and third emergency Phearson.

Father and son Rob and Luke Price also have Our Gold Hope (Tyler Schiller) in the $750,000 Group 3 Rosehill Gold Cup (2000m), and Newcastle’s Nathan Doyle will be represented by Churchill’s Choice (Jean Van Overmeire).

Story John Curtis, October 31, 2025 - Bradley Photos