Group 1 racing returns to Moonee Valley on Friday and we are set for an exciting eight-race card, headlined by the $500,000 sprint feature.
A total of five races will be contested under black type conditions on Moir Stakes Night, but every race boasts a lucrative prize pool and some of the Spring Carnival’s most exciting prospects will be stepping out.
The action will begin with the running of a three-year-old colts and geldings’ race at 6:30pm AEST, while the Moir Stakes is slated for 9:45pm.
The Moir Stakes card launches with a pretty open sprint for three-year-old colts and geldings and the resuming Sunset Watch ($3.50) is set to jump as favourite. The son of Akeed Mofeed has not been seen at the races since April but was outstanding through his debut campaign and posted consecutive wins in a couple of sprints, before a credible transition to black type company delivering a fifth placing in the Listed Redoute’s Choice Stakes (1200m). There’s been money for debutant Still Invincible, who is $11 into $8 at the time of publish. It’s obviously tough to get a gauge on how a horse will performer on debut, but the I Am Invincible colt has given his rivals windburn in a couple of Cranbourne trials and will be in the finish if he brings any of that to the track.
Black type racing is underway early and the Stocks Stakes has drawn a typically talented, yet small field of mares. Group 1 winner I Am A Star ($2.10) will carry winning form into the Stocks Stakes and looks a justifiable favourite to defend her crown in this race. The daughter of I Am Invincible returned from a long spell to finish fourth in the Group 3 Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m) in August, before hitting the line beautifully for third in the Group 3 Cockram Stakes (1200m) second-up. She relished the step up in trip when taking out the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) last time out and returns to her pet trip for the first time on Friday. There’s a case to be made for several horses here but I think that I Am A Star is the horse to beat, particularly with a fitness edge.
The JRA Cup typically throws up a couple of Cups horses and that does look like eventuating again this year with several notable runners confirmed for a start. Former Perth galloper Trap For Fools ($2.70) has been in terrific form for Jarrod Mclean this time in and will be hard to beat again on Friday. The Poet’s Voice gelding resumed for a credible sixth here in June and has only gone from strength to strength since; placing in a pair of talent-rich races at Caulfield and Flemington before winning his last two here at the Valley with relative ease. This is a harder task, but he’s continued to step up as the bar has been raised and he is up to the class of a race like this one. Australian Cup winner Harlem ($8) typically improves with racing and could prove over the odds at his current price, while both Macedon Lodge runners The Taj Mahal ($5) and Sir Isaac Newton ($13) are also more than capable. I will be backing Trap For Fools on the nose, but will also have a small each-way bet on Harlem at his current price.
These short and sharp sprints at Moonee Valley are always exciting and a smart field has been taken for Heat 1 of the 55 Second Challenge on Friday. You’ve Been Had ($2.70) has been in terrific form this time and is set to start race favourite, but I am leaning towards the Ellerton & Zahra-trained Essence Of Terror ($9) at an each-way price. The Reward For Effort mare has not been seen at the races since March, but she tends to fly fresh and has good form at this trip and track. Dwayne Dunn can find a nice position close to the pace from barrier 6 and she should be fighting out the finish.
The Stutt Stakes typically underlines a couple of genuine Guineas chances and this year’s edition of the race has drawn a nice field of three-year-olds. Leonardo Da Hinchi ($2.10) has form around some great horses this time and looks beautifully placed in the Stutt Stakes. The Hinchinbrook colt won his first two career starts with ease before running on well to finish third behind Brutal in the Listed McKenzie Stakes (1200m) here at Moonee Valley in late August. He took plenty of improvement into his second meeting with Brutal in the Listed Antler Luggage Plate (1400m) two weeks ago and went within a nose of the unbeaten colt. There is no horse of Brutal’s class in this field and Leonardo Da Hinchi is primed to release his black type winning potential. The Team Hawkes-trained Outrageous ($4.60) has continued to receive interest in betting, but it really yet to meet expectations on the track, while Muswellbrook ($3.90) and Farooq ($8.50) each have claims.
Won by Houtzen last year, the Scarborough Stakes has drawn another decent field of three-year-old fillies and it is shaping as one of the most open betting races on the Moir Stakes card. There is legitimately a case to be made for more than half of the twelve confirmed starters but two horses that do catch the eye at Humma Humma ($5) and Zizzis ($11). Humma Humma has returned to racing in outstanding form this time and won a 1000m race at Sandown first-up, before finishing third behind Brutal in a 1200m sprint at Caulfield. She has since finished a close-up second in both the Group 3 Quezette Stakes (1100m) and Listed Atlantic Jewel Stakes at this course and distance and is rock-hard fit for the Scarborough. Zizzis enjoyed a breakout campaign in autumn and won her first two starts, including the Adelaide Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m), and she shook off the cobwebs with a decent run for sixth in the Listed Cap D’Antibes (1100m) a fortnight ago. She’ll enjoy a return to racing with a turn and she’s drawn ideally in barrier 3.
An outstanding field of sprinters has been taken for the feature race and the Moir Stakes could prove to be one of the best Group 1 contests of the entire Spring Carnival. Nature Strip is yet to be tested at the highest level, but he has opened the $2.20 favourite in Moir Stakes betting. The Nicconi gelding has undoubtedly found career-best form since arriving at Darren Weir’s stable and has won four from four, including three black type races and the Group 2 McEwen Stakes at this track and trip last time out. He has more than earned his shot at this race and should be fighting out the finish. Houtzen ($7) went extremely close to upsetting Nature Strip first-up and with improvement, she’ll be tough to beat here. The I Am Invincible mare is yet to post a Group 1 win but is a proven performer in high-pressure sprints and is drawn ideally here in barrier 2. Viddora ($10) was unlucky not to win this race in 2017 and she could prove to be the value in Moir Stakes betting at double-figure odds. The daughter of I Am Invincible was outstanding last spring and summer and won the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) and Magic Millions Snippets (1200m) most notably. CLICK HERE FOR FULL 2018 MOIR STAKES ODDS & BETTING UPDATE
A reasonably tough end to the Moir Stakes card from a betting perspective and even with early scratching True Excelsior, first emergency Savaju ($34) has gained a start and we’re faced with a capacity field. Godolphin entire Isaurian ($3.40) will carry winning form into his second-up assignment here and should be fighting out the finish from a good draw, and with Craig Williams aboard. The son of Exceed And Excel has typically raced at a higher grade than this race and with improvement, he will be tough to beat.