| Distance |
1,000m |
| Grade |
Group 1 |
| Track |
Moonee Valley |
| Prizemoney |
$1,000,000 |
| 2018 winner |
Viddora ($12.00)
|
The Moir Stakes is The Valley's feature sprint for the Spring cranival.
The Group One is now worth a cool $1 million in prizemoney and has been won by some of the greats including Buffering (2012, 2014, 2015), Black Caviar (2010, 2011), Schilachi (1992) and Manikato (1982).
Nominations for this year's Moir Stakes are once again down on quality, due to most of the country's high-class sprinters being in Sydney on route to the the Everest.
Leading the nominations for this year's edition is the Tony and Calvin McEvoy trained Sunlight. The daughter of Zoustar took all before her last campaign, proving too strong for her rivals in the Group One Newmarket Handicap and William Reid Stakes.
The early favourite is the Chris Waller trained Nature Strip, the winner of the Group One Galaxy Stakes in the Autumn who ran a disappointing 8th in this race last year.
All-in market Moir Stakes
Best Bet: Trekking $8.00 - The Godolphin owned gelding is proven first-up and carries residual fitness off the back of a successful Brisbane Winter Carnival.
His track work in the lead-up to this run has been ultra-impressive and although the 1000m is short of his best distance, there is likely to be enough early speed engaged to bring the back-markers into the race.
Best Value: Faatinhah $17.00 - This gelding won well first-up and only needs to hold that form to be competitive at the each-way odds.
The word from the stable is that he's doing as well as ever and as a proven winner at the track and distance, he's a knockout hope.
Final Field Bet: Exhilarates $17.00 - There are no guarantees Godolphin will opt for this race on Friday night, but if they do it'll be for good reason.
This three-year-old filly is an exciting type, who has taken all before her this prep and can match it with the best sprinters in the country at the weight-for-age.
Her win in the Listed Atlantic Jewel over the 1200m at The Valley suggests she'll handle the track and there is no doubt she'd be competitive with the weight relief.
Nominations for the 2019 Moir Stakes are below:
| Horse |
Trainer |
Weight |
Odds |
| NATURE STRIP |
Chris Waller |
58.5kg |
$ 2.50 |
| SUNLIGHT |
Tony & Calvin McEvoy |
56.5kg |
$ 4.80 |
| TREKKING |
James Cummings |
58.5kg |
$ 8.00 |
| THE BOSTONIAN (NZ) |
Tony Pike |
58.5kg |
$ 11.00 |
| EDUARDO |
Sarah Zschoke |
58.5kg |
$ 11.00 |
| BOOKER |
Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra |
56.5kg |
$ 15.00 |
| BONS AWAY |
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
58.5kg |
$ 15.00 |
| ASSERTIVE APPROACH |
Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes |
58.5kg |
$ 15.00 |
| BALL OF MUSCLE |
Joseph Pride |
58.5kg |
$ 17.00 |
| EXHILARATES |
James Cummings |
50kg |
$ 17.00 |
| FAATINAH |
David & B Hayes & T Dabernig |
58.5kg |
$ 17.00 |
| VIRIDINE |
James Cummings |
58.5kg |
$ 17.00 |
| MISS LEONIDAS |
Shaun Dwyer |
56.5kg |
$ 31.00 |
| WINTER BRIDE |
Toby & Trent Edmonds |
56.5kg |
$ 35.00 |
| MERYL |
Lee Curtis |
56.5kg |
$ 35.00 |
| TACTICAL ADVANTAGE |
Kris Lees |
58.5kg |
$ 35.00 |
| ASHLOR |
Dan McCarthy |
58.5kg |
$ 51.00 |
| CATCH ME |
Peter & Paul Snowden |
50kg |
$ 101.00 |
