A quality field of sprinters has been assembled for this Saturday’s G1 Moir Stakes at The Valley.
Ciaron Maher’s speedy mare Estriella holds narrow favouritism for the $750k feature.
Ladbrokes own Peter Moody won the Moir Stakes with champion sprinter Black Caviar in 2010 and 2011.
This year he and training partner Katherine Coleman will present a two-pronged attack with G1 winners I Wish I Win and Chain Of Lightning.
Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot along with Coleman and Hayasugi will look to join the likes of Coolangatta and Extreme Choice as three-year-olds who have won the 1000m weight-for-age contest.
For our thoughts on every horse, check out our comprehensive 2024 Moir Stakes preview below. (Prices current at time of publish)
1. I Wish I Win (5)
Price: $5.00
The multiple G1 winning gelding returns to racing after proving too strong for Bella Nipotina in the Kingsford Smith Cup over 1300m at Eagle Farm during the Queensland Winter Racing Carnival.
You can bank on him running a ripping race given he’s one of the most consistent horses in the land with an impressive 19 top three finishes from 21 races.
He races well fresh with three wins from seven first-up appearances and has generally returned over slightly further.
However, Moody & Coleman look to have him sharper than normal and ready for a massive showing over this shorter trip given his impressive Pakenham jump out win recently.
In his only previous start over this distance, he made everyone stand to attention when he produced a powerful burst from the back to finish a neck second in the 2023 G1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes.
This is his first visit to The Valley so it’s unknown how he’ll handle it, but if he does and isn’t far off the leaders then he’ll take a power of stopping.
2. Mornington Glory (1)
Price: $19.00
The Gavin Bedggood-trained six-year-old is the outsider of the field which is perhaps a touch unfair given his amazing credentials at the track.
He’s undefeated in three races over this course and distance which includes a stunning victory in the Carlyon Stakes last start when despite racing three-wide the trip, he stormed home to win by a head.
The son of Shalaa finished third in the Oakleigh Plate at his only previous G1 start but he did carry just 52.5kg that day and now looks poorly weighted under the weight-for-age conditions of the race.
He’ll enjoy a beautiful run from the inside barrier which gives him a chance at running into the placings.
3. Johnny Rocker (3)
Price: $16.00
The son of Jukebox produced a massive career spike last preparation when storming home to finish a head second to Imperatriz in the G1 William Reid Stakes over 1200m here.
He then produced credible efforts in the T.J. Smith Stakes and The Goodwood, both at G1 level.
A recent jump out will have tuned him up for a strong first-up showing.
There’s no doubting that he’s gone to another level since joining the Nick Ryan stable from Queensland, but this may be a touch sharp for him.
4. Caballus (9)
Price: $18.00
Formerly with Chris Waller, the son of I Am Invincible went to another level when joining the Bjorn Baker stable last preparation.
He proved a class above when winning a Benchmark 72 Handicap first-up before winning the G3 Eskimo Prince Stakes second-up despite a wide run.
The then three-year-old let down strongly last start to finish third by 1.8 lengths to Estriella in the Inglis Sprint.
He resumes here on the back of two trials where he chased home Storm Boy and Joliestar so he should have a good fitness base for this, but he’s poorly weighted and drawn.
He would need to go to another level to be competitive here.
5. Chain Of Lightning (4)
Price: $14.00
The Moody & Coleman stable would be praying for rain as their mare grows a leg in the wet.
She proved that last preparation when proving too strong in the G1 T.J. Smith Stakes.
1000m could prove a touch short for the Fighting Sun mare but she does race well on the fresh side and produced a tidy piece of work to win a recent jump out.
I don’t think she can win, but watch for her finding the line with a view to longer races during the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.
6. Estriella (8)
Price: $3.50
The Ciaron Maher-trained mare is a sprinting force and looks ready to produce a big first-up performance following two jump outs.
Her most recent piece of work was outstanding as she cruised to a five-length win under a strong hold.
Last preparation she easily won the G3 Kevin Hayes Stakes first-up before taking out the Inglis Sprint and bolting in to win the Sunlight Classic.
Unfortunately, her preparation looked to have come to an end when she finished 2.5 lengths fifth in the G1 Robert Sangster Stakes.
I’m expecting the daughter of I Am Invincible to lead and prove very hard to run down.
7. Coleman (6)
Price: $10.00
Besides a lacklustre performance in the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes, the Matt Laurie-trained colt had a very good last preparation.
He won the G3 Chairman’s Stakes over 1000m at Caulfield first-up before third place finishes in the G3 Pago Pago Stakes and G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes.
In between those runs he went within a head of winning the G1 Golden Slipper.
He takes on the big guns now and I wasn’t impressed by his recent jump out work so I’m prepared to watch and let him go around without me.
8. Lady Of Camelot (2)
Price: $3.60
The Waterhouse & Bott-trained three-year-old returns to the track after a stellar last preparation.
She opened with a three-length win in the G3 Widden Stakes before going down by a head in the Blue Diamond Stakes.
The daughter of Written Tycoon then enjoyed a beautiful run to win the Golden Slipper.
She looks primed for a big first-up performance following two trials with the most recent seeing her defeat Giga Kick in a strong on pace gallop.
With just 50kg on her back and an inside barrier, she’ll go forward and could prove awfully hard to run down.
9. Hayasugi (7)
Price: $13.00
It was unfortunate that everything went wrong in the Golden Slipper for the Clinton Macdonald-trained filly as she had enjoyed an awesome preparation before that.
The daughter of Royal Meeting when through the Blue Diamond series undefeated, claiming the G3 Blue Diamond Preview first-up, the G2 Blue Diamond Prelude and then the Blue Diamond Stakes.
She resumes here and her jump out work has been sensational, working to the line beautifully under holds.
Jamie Kah has built a great partnership with her, but the big query is how much ground will she have to make up on her rivals.
If she doesn’t settle too far back, she’ll be rattling home and maybe over the top of them with just 50kg.
The Judgement
I’m very keen to see I Wish I Win return to the races and while he can win, he won’t be totally screwed down with bigger fish to fry like The Everest later this preparation.
With that in mind, I’m siding with the exciting Estriella.
She was outstanding last preparation with three excellent wins to start her preparation before tiring late in her first G1.
Her jump outs have been top shelf and will have her primed to fire first-up.
Blake Shinn will drive forward from barrier 8 and give them something to catch.
Selections:
1st – Estriella (6)
2nd – I Wish I Win (1)
3rd – Lady Of Camelot (8)
4th – Hayasugi (9)