Steven Arnold rides Prince Harada during his work at Sandown on Tuesday. Source: Getty Images
IN some ways the Melbourne Racing Club has misread the last-race appeal of the Memsie Stakes tomorrow.
The idea of a crescendo-like build-up to the feature race is good in theory, and probably a neat fit for Channel 7, but crescendos need crowds, surely.
At this time of year, with most still more interested in the footy, more interested in simply getting on with it at the races than counting down to the day's feature, the MRC has gone off a bit early with its shuffling of the race order.
Caulfield Cup, perhaps. Memsie, in front of a diehard crowd of a few thousand, no.
That said, we won't merely be marking time before the much-anticipated 4.50pm resumption of Atlantic Jewel's unblemished but interrupted career.
For starters, the weather gods have been kind. The track will be perfect, an improving Dead 4.
Fears of a chopped-up surface by the last race have been allayed. A 6m rail placement can be a bit dodgy at other tracks, but Caulfield plays pretty fair from that spot.
The comeback of Atlantic Jewel is front and centre, but the return of Miracles Of Life, at 2.10pm in the McNeil Stakes, is intriguing.
Prince Harada is washed by strapper Brian Baldwin after his jump out at Sandown.
This is shaping as a spring of stories and few match that of Miracles Of Life, the tiny filly who was too sharp in the summer but must prove more than just precocious second time around.
Fast 'N' Rocking couldn't go with her in the Blue Diamond in February but the David Hayes colt has more than picked up where he left off.
Prince Harada, who looked super in a Sandown jumpout on Tuesday, is a powerful finisher and a serious obstacle for Miracles Of Life.
Jockey Lauren Stojakovic has confidently predicted Miracles Of Life will cross from a wide gate and probably lead.
If the colts can give her a break and reel her in, she has either plateaued or they are genuine stars.
The meeting is scattered with interesting horses on Cups and Cox Plate campaigns. Markets for those races could be altered dramatically by tomorrow night.
Goldoni, for instance, is a $101 chance for the Caulfield Cup but the Hayes smoky's price will be halved if he finishes hard in the 1400m BMW Handicap.
Pakal still has to make the cut to get into the Caulfield Cup, but his first-up win was astounding - Puissance De Lune-like, according to the ratings people - and he might be near cup favourite if he can overcome a wide gate over 1700m tomorrow.
Green Moon, first-up in the Memsie, is one of the carnival's crossroads horses.
The handicapper has probably nailed him as far as a back-to-back Melbourne Cup tilt goes, yet you suspect he's not quite weight-for-age class.
If he gets within a length or two of Atlantic Jewel, maybe he has made the leap.
Bar Atlantic Jewel, perhaps Fiorente is the most important Memsie runner.
He just may be anything.
Gai Waterhouse, whose Melbourne spring raids always seem a little cobbled together, has been methodical in planning this campaign that could end up in the Cox Plate, Melbourne Cup or both.
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