With horse numbers more in line with Genghis Khan than Tommy Smith's revolving 50, the Weir expertise on Saturday was evident in the Caulfield Stakes with Gailo Chop and his Japanese import Tosen Stardom hitting top gear in the Toorak Handicap.

Weir also made hay at Royal Randwick taking the St Leger with Big Duke, emphasising the dearth of Sydney stayers, and guided another of his Japanese acquisitions Brave Smash into the minor placing in The Everest.

Caulfield regulars figured Saturday was flat. Maybe missing topliners took a toll but there were strong performances. The racing die-hards have survived longer in Melbourne. Sure there has been a switch from the punt to the grog but it doesn't seem as prevalent as Sydney.

Despite the vagaries of the Caulfield twists and turns, the Guineas day has been a happy hunting ground for invaders. Before Saturday the last six winners of the Caulfield Guineas hailed from Sydney.

Perhaps the other three group 1s, the Caulfield Stakes, Thousand Guineas and Toorak haven't been as bountiful for them but three of the last four Thousand Guineas have gone north. Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott scored in 2016 with Global Glamour.

Ironically, Waterhouse was at Caulfield on Saturday, riding shotgun with husband Rob Waterhouse, who preferred the meeting to Randwick.

Still, Invincible Star, with the benefit of her expertise, justified a confident betting move in the Thoroughbred Stakes at Caulfield, bolting in by four lengths. English supporters in The Everest were surprised to see Lady Gai in Melbourne with so much glitz, glamour and prizemoney at her home track.

The major Sydney failure was the James Cummings-trained Alizee, a $2.15 favourite in the Thousand Guineas, following two dazzling Sydney successes. With 150 metres to go, the filly was expected to ping on Saturday but plodded with jockey Glen Schofield being gentle over the latter stages. Schofield later divulged she "felt uncomfortable" and the stewards reported Alizee had a "throat condition".

Hartnell, another carrying the Godolphin blue, was dismal under Schofield in the Caulfield Stakes but the jockey stressed "severe interference" as an explanation. Yes Hartnell did strike trouble but at the time wasn't going anywhere.

Cummings looked likely to score with Kamentari in the Guineas but hit the front too early, dived the wrong way and was beaten due to a brilliant rails ride on Mighty Boss ($101) by Michael Walker, later suspended for 10 meetings due to damage created on route.

In my 40 years' experience at the meeting I've never seen such joy from winners: unbridled and not choreographed in the hope of attracting a camera.

Alas Lloyd Williams, the Melbourne Cup master, wouldn't have been in the same frame of mind when Aloft, the $4.20 favourite, and stablemate Foundry trailed in, beaten 31 lengths and 32.55 lengths respectively, in the Herbert Power, often a stepping stone to the Big One.

Aloft got its tongue over the bit and Foundry, winner of the Group One Metropolitan at Randwick at his previous start, just went badly. They followed the disappointing fourth of another Williams stayer,Melbourne Cup contender, Almandin, the hot favourite, at Flemington the previous Saturday.

Williams, though, has had memorable occasions regarding the Caulfield Guineas, particularly when Mahogany, ridden by Greg Hall, won in 1983.

Now 60, Hall, one of the best jockeys of our era, was involved in many triumphs for Williams, but has had a battle with the booze. Reports down south indicate he is on the way back. Hall has registered as a stable hand with Racing Victoria and is working for a trainer at Geelong.

Departing Caulfield on Saturday to take advantage of the excellent seniors' train rate back to civilisation, I pondered what I was missing at Randwick, especially the short trip home and Jason Derulo. But I made do humming Leonard Cohen's "I'm leaving the table, I'm out of the game, I don't know the people in your picture frame."