Members Joy gave her large group of owners a stakes winning first in the LR Cap D’Antibes Stakes (1100m) at Flemington on Saturday.

The Hussonet filly is raced by the MRC Horse Club which consists of 9,000 Melbourne Racing Club members.  They lease her from Swettenham Stud owner Adam Sangster.

Sangster had been given the task of selecting a likely type for the MRC Members at the 2011 Gold Coast Magic Millions and came up trumps with a grey filly that cost $85,000 out of the Arrowfield Stud draft.

Members Joy (3f Hussonet – Rosa’s Spur by Flying Spur) had won on debut at Sandown last November in the aptly named Swettenham Dash For Cash Plate (900m).  She followed up with a black-type placing in the LR Blue Diamond Preview before completing her first campaign with a midfield finish in the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes back at Caulfield.

The Robert Smerdon trained filly failed first-up on a Heavy 10 last month but was much happier at Flemington.  “She had been trialling well and I knew she would improve on top of the ground,” jockey Nick Hall said.  “Adding the blinkers was a big help.

“She has a lovely turn of foot and I think she will be much better getting up to a mile.”

The Swettenham filly is by champion sire Hussonet and is the first foal from Rosa’s Spur who won six races including the G3 QTC Dane Ripper Plate and LR Scone Dark Jewel Classic.

Connections are setting Member’s Joy for the G1 MRC Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 17.  The Melbourne Race Club opened the bar after Member’s Joy won on debut and there’s bound to be drinks all round if she wins the $500,000 classic next month.

– Karl Patterson

MEMBERS JOY
Pictured as a yearling before the 2011 Gold Coast Magic Millions