Moir Stakes Preview and Tips 07/09/24

Spring has officially sprung and we’re in for one of the shortest Group One races of the season, the Moir Stakes, which is run over a distance of just 1,000m. That’s blink and you’ll miss it kind of stuff! My Saturday tips for the Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley Racecourse are here as we see a field of just nine runners line up.

It’s a fairly open field with three runners listed in the $3.00 to $4.00 mark and then it’s double-digits for the rest of the field (at the time of writing). I can’t wait for the Moir Stakes as it is a great jumping block for bigger sprint races down the line, like The Everest, for example.

My Moir Stakes horse racing tips have arrived here at OnlyRacing and I’ve got five tips in total for you, so there are plenty of options. Let’s get cracking and see how the first true sprint race of the Spring Racing Carnival shakes out, shall we?

There’s not a lot of room for error in the Moir Stakes, with just 1,000m to work with. This makes the first 100m critical and we see races won and lost here in the past. Lady of Camelot, in barrier two, seems to be the likely leader. The likes of Estriella and Caballus have work to do coming from wider barriers.

I expect Mornington Glory to sit just off the leaders and hopefully with some cover to strike when the iron is hot. I Wish I Win and Chain Of Lightning will probably be a little further back, but we’ve all seen just how fast I Wish I Win especially, can be in the closing stages of a sprint race.

Estriella is currently on the second line of betting at $3.80, thanks to PlayUp and I’m putting her down as my best bet for the Moir Stakes on Saturday after much consideration. In my mind, she can only get better. Yes, we have only seen her race on nine occasions, but that leaves plenty of room for improvement.

This is the perfect starting point for Estriella and watch out for her odds in The Everest, which I think will shorten if she gets the win here. In her last prep, she put in a couple of good performances including a victory in the Kevin Hayes Stakes, Inglis Sprint and the Sunlight Classic.

If you want class, you’ll get it with I Wish I Win. The gelding is paying $4.60 at the time of writing, thanks to Bet365. He is one of the most consistent horses you’ll see this Spring and a top-three finish is as close to a guarantee as you can get in horse racing I reckon. He has finished top-three in 19 of 21 races. 

I’m a little concerned about the fact this is his first go at The Valley, but if anyone can prove me wrong, it’s I Wish I Win. He is looking to bigger races down the line, like The Everest and will use this one to get himself right for greater riches. He might want to make a statement though, so what for him late.

Out of the nine runners in the Moir Stakes field, I think Mornington Glory presents the best value. He is currently paying $12 with Dabble and looks to be continually shortening, so if you like the look of him, it’s probably best to get on as soon as you can. An each-way bet is certainly on the cards here.

He is consistently improving, which is exactly the kind of horse I like and his win in the Carlyon Stakes, at Moonee Valley last time out, was excellent. More of that will see him right in this. Can he win? Probably not, but if the others aren’t on their A-game, he just might be able to raise a few eyebrows in this one.

The current $3.20 favourite thanks to QuestBet has to be the main danger in this race. If Estriella or I Wish I Win don’t get the chocolates it will likely be because of Lady Of Camelot. Last prep was the stuff of dreams I reckon and I can see why she is the favourite coming into this one.

She has just 50kg on her back and a great barrier. A lot of things seem to be lining up here for Lady Of Camelot. Her two trials were strong as well, so she looks ready to go and give everyone a sight. Hedging my bets a bit here, with another win bet, but this time for Lady Of Camelot.

Hayasugi gets a wide barrier in this one, but I think it suits here, especially considering the small field. She covered a lot of ground in the Blue Diamond Stakes in her last prep, so she knows what to do when she gets out wide. There was solid improvement in her runs previously.

While there was a little bit of a flop in the Golden Slipper, I am putting a line through that one because I know she is better than that. If she’s good enough, I think she can sneak in for a top-three finish and with Bet Right, she is currently paying $2.90 for the place bet. Has a couple of trials under her belt and is ready for a shot at a Group One.

All my Moir Stakes best bets and their odds can be found here:

Bookmaker	Tip	Odds
	Estriella (win)	$3.80
	I Wish I Win (each-way)	$4.60/$1.75
	Mornington Glory (each-way)	$12/$3.20
	Lady Of Camelot (win)	$3.20
	Hayasugi (place)	$2.90