The NZ Bloodstock Spring Weight-For-Age Championship kicks off at Caulfield this Saturday.

The NZB Spring WFA Championship is a series of four races run at Caulfield comprising the G2 Lawrence Stakes, G1 Memsie Stakes, G1 Underwood Stakes and G1 Caulfield Stakes.

This is the third year that NZB has sponsored the Championship with Kiwi Ocean Park (NZ) taking out last year’s Series with 20 points after winning the Underwood and Caulfield Stakes.  The inaugural Championship was won by Peter Moody’s Kiwi mare Lights of Heaven (NZ).

Horses are awarded points for finishing first through to eighth.  The winner of the Series is the horse that accumulates the highest tally of points over the four races.

Last year’s edition of the Lawrence Stakes saw Second Effort (Mossman) claim a resounding victory and he is back this year to defend the crown.  He’s in good form coming off a last win in the G3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield three weeks ago.

Second Effort will face a true heavyweight test as he tries to retain his title this year.  He will face rising star Puissance de Lune (Shamardal) who is the early favourite for the Melbourne Cup.

Puissance de Lune burst on to the scene with an 8 length victory in last year’s G3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m).  He returned in the autumn to dead-heat in the G2 Blamey Stakes and gain even more admirers.

Kiwi-bred Under the Sun (No Excuse Needed) will fly the flag for Series sponsor New Zealand Bloodstock with the Karaka graduate travelling down from Gai Waterhouse’s Sydney stables to contest the Group 2 feature.  The winner of the Listed Winter Stakes two starts ago will be ridden by globetrotting jockey Craig Williams.

Karaka Ready to Run graduate Pago Rock (Rock of Gibraltar) was also a Listed winner two starts back when he claimed an impressive victory in the Sir John Monash Stakes at Caulfield.  The Esker Lodge graduate has a good record at Caulfield, winning three of his six starts on the course.

The consistent Darley trained galloper Launay (Lonhro) never seems to be far away from the thick end of the prizemoney and is a 1400m specialist winning five races over the distance including twice at Listed level.

Tony Vasil will saddle up durable campaigner Under the Eiffel (Mossman) in the weekend’s feature race.  A winner of 9 races including two at black-type level, he has a fitness edge on some of his more fancied rivals and is renowned for his fighting spirit.

Last year’s G3 JRA Cup (2040m) winner Bianmick (Bianconi) is returning from a spell to contest the 1400m feature, a distance he has won over twice and is a previous winner around Caulfield.  The Michael Brady trained gelding holds a nomination for the G1 Cox Plate this spring.

The Peter Moody trained High Esteem (Redoute’s Choice) is coming off a hat-trick culminating with victory in the Listed Port Adelaide Guineas (1800m) in his previous campaign.

Speedy Ajeeb (Al Maher) is coming off a scintillating last start victory at the same course and distance as the Lawrence Stakes.  The entire put in a huge performance last start after missing the kick and circling the field to lead, holding on to victory after setting a fast pace. He is the most inexperienced horse in the field having only had six starts, notching up four wins.

The 2013 New Zealand Bloodstock Spring WFA Championship will see the best horses in Australasia compete for $1.37 million in prizemoney plus trophies to the value of $25,000.