The first Group 1 of the 2021/22 Victorian racing season has attracted 20 horses, with eight individual Group 1 winners set to line up in the Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield this Saturday.
While Behemoth won't be back to defend his crown after winning the last two editions of the race, both Tofane (3rd in 2021) and Cascadian (4th in 2020) will be looking to reign supreme at their second attempt in the race.
Tofane was expected to retire following her runner-up performance behind Cascadian in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) in the autumn, but connections have opted to give her another preparation in search of a fifth Group 1 victory over 1400m.
Cascadian held a nomination for last Saturday's Winx Stakes (1400m) in Sydney, but instead he will line up in Melbourne on the weekend, with Godolphin deciding to keep Anamoe and Cascadian apart from one another early on in their campaigns.
Despite also holding nominations for the Winx Stakes, both Zeyrek and triple Group 1 winner Duais will take their place in the Memsie instead.
Edward Cummings said his star mare Duais displayed an irregular heartbeat on Saturday morning prior to racing in the Winx Stakes, so he was forced to scratch her and wait for this weekend to kick off her Melbourne Cup (3200m) campaign.
Joining Duais on a path towards the first Tuesday in November are Spanish Mission and Earlswood, with those two stayers likely to race in the Memsie first-up, although Peter Moody has nominated Spanish Mission for the Heatherlie Stakes (1700m) at Caulfield on Saturday as well.
Also holding a nomination for the Melbourne Cup is Danny O'Brien's Western Empire.
The five-year-old hasn't raced since last December when going down as a short-priced favourite in the Group 1 Kingston Town Classic (1800m) in Perth, but prior to that he had won six consecutive races, including the Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) and Group 2 WATC Derby (2400m).
Following a successful autumn, Snapdancer is set to resume in the Memsie Stakes, while She's Ideel – a recent acquisition for the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace stable – will also return.
Snapdancer hasn't raced since her runner-up effort in the Group 1 Tattersall's Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 25.
Alligator Blood is also having his first start since Group 1 success in Queensland, with the Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) winner set to race under new ownership.
Gerry Harvey recently purchased a majority stake in Alligator Blood from controversial owner Allan Endresz, whose horses are banned from racing in Victoria at present.
While there is plenty of proven horseflesh nominated for the first Group 1 of the Melbourne Spring Carnival, there are also a number of Australia's promising up-and-comers in the mix.
Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr have nominated 2021 Golden Eagle (1500m) winner I'm Thunderstruck as well as the unbeaten Illation.
The latter rounded out his first racing preparation with back-to-back Listed wins in South Australia, so he has been touted as one of the most exciting gallopers in the country ahead of the spring.
In last Saturday's Winx Stakes at Randwick, the six four-year-olds in the field were the first six horses past the post, so connections of Illation, Pinstriped, Forgot You and Lightsaber will be hoping for a similar outcome in the Memsie.
The final field and barrier draw will be announced on Wednesday morning at 9:30am AEST.