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- Update: No. 13 Tiger Shark (9) has been scratched in favour of a Sydney run in the Group 3 Concorde Stakes. Click here for the full story and latest Moir Stakes odds.
The Valley specialist Baraqiel is favourite to remain undefeated at the track up in grade for the Group 1 Moir Stakes 2025 this Saturday in Melbourne.
The first of the season’s premier sprint races lights up Moonee Valley on the weekend with a class line-up of short distance specialists facing off in the Group 1 $750,000 Moir Stakes (1000m).
The Moir, often the campaign kick-off for horses eyeing a Group 1 Champions Sprint run down the famous Flemington straight in November, has a glittering honour roll having been won by the likes of Manikato (1982), Placid Ark (1987), Schillaci (1992), Apache Cat (2009), dual winner Black Caviar (2010 & 2011), and classy Kiwi mare Imperatriz (2023).
It also serves as a potential lead-up for horses chasing a slot in the world’s richest turf race with the ninth edition of the $20 million The Everest set to run at Randwick on October 18 and plenty of spots still to be claimed in this year’s field.
Sitting as the narrow current favourite in Moir Stakes betting this season at $4.20 through Ladbrokes.com.au is classy Snitzel seven-year-old Baraqiel.
Prepared by Leon & Troy Corstens in partnership with Will Larken, Baraqiel is a genuine Moonee Valley specialist undefeated at the track with three wins at the notoriously tight course.
He was enormous here over 1200m taking out last year’s Group 2 McEwen Stakes by nearly three lengths before a brave sixth behind Sunshine In Paris in the Champions Sprint when only two lengths beaten.
Fresh he was back in winning form at the track and trip beating an easier line-up of rivals home in the Listed Norman Carlyon Stakes and will be fitter for the run with previous winning form second-up making him a standout this weekend.
Ben Allen continues associations in the Moir with the top fancy drawn barrier 10 looking to be the first horse in over 20 years to win the race from a double-digit gate.
It is a very tight top half of the markets with a host of other challengers under $5 for the win including Ken & Bev Kelso‘s Kiwi raider Alabama Lass ($4.60).
A multiple Group winner at home across the Tasman, the daughter of Alabama Express steps out as a four-year-old for the first time on Saturday chasing a hat-trick having won back-to-back races last time in.
She is a two-time Group 1 runner-up in New Zealand and has past winning from in Melbourne when saluting in her Australian race debut at Flemington back on March 29 in the Listed Moomba Plate (1100m).
Alabama Lass was one of the big winners in the Moir Stakes barriers coming up with gate three for jockey Craig Williams who is after his first winning ride in the event since 2005.
One-time favourite, the resuming Grahame Begg trained Niance, is also well backed to kick off her spring with a first-up Group 1 win.
Current Moir Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au have Swiss Ace six-year-old Niance at $4.80 to claim her first The Valley run.
She won three on the trot throughout the winter and spring last year, while her latest run had her making it four straight in the Listed Bel Esprit Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield in late May.
Two subsequent trials in August have brought her on fitness wise including an eye-catching Cranbourne winning jump-out at her latest.
Niance jumps from barrier 12, which explains the slight drift in post-acceptance markets, with Jordan Childs back in the saddle.
The other best in betting at $5 is the undefeated and lightly raced first emergency Esha for Shane Nichols & Hayden Black who is being kept very safe despite needing an early withdrawal to make the starting line-up.
The progressive Extreme Choice filly is out to be the first three-year-old Moir Stakes winner since fellow filly Coolangatta in 2022.
She has had just the two starts to date with her latest producing a Moonee Valley win on August 9 over this 1000m distance which she claimed by 3.5 lengths.
Coming back from 55.5kg to just 50kg for the Moir she will be flying should she gain a start with Jamie Melham booked for the ride from gate four.
The value still under $10 but looking over the odds at $7.50 is proven Group 1 champion Skybird lining up for Mitchell Freedman.
The now five-year-old Exosphere mare had just one run in the autumn after she sustained a pectoral muscle injury during her impressive upset at 40/1 in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes at Flemington back in February.
Freedman’s taken a conservative approach to her return to ensure she’s ready, and Skybird looked the goods with a dominant three-length trial win at Horsham over 800m in the wet on August 27.
John Allen has the ride on her fresh from gate five where she’ll be out to add to her strong first-up record (4:2-1-0).
The 2025 Moir Stakes is set to run as Moonee Valley Race 9 at 4:50pm (AEST) on Saturday’s top 10-race card.
| 7. Baraqiel (8) J: Ben Allen58.5kg 163x1T: L & T Corstens & W Larkin | ||
| 12. Alabama Lass (3) J: Craig Williams56.5kg x211xT: Ken & Bev Kelso | ||
| 10. Arabian Summer (1) J: Harry Coffey56.5kg 3159xT: Tony & Calvin McEvoy | ||
| 4. Golden Boom (13) J: Ryan Maloney58.5kg 210x3T: Tony Gollan | ||
| 3. Payline (7) J: Justin Huxtable58.5kg 9398xT: Chris & Corey Munce | ||
| 11. Skybird (5) J: John Allen56.5kg 70x1xT: Mitchell Freedman | ||
| 14. Niance (10) J: Jordan Childs56.5kg 11x1xT: Grahame Begg | ||
| 16. Esha (4) J: Jamie Melham50kg 1x1T: Shane Nichols & Hayden Black | ||
| 1. Rothfire (6) J: Luke Nolen58.5kg x427xT: Robert Heathcote | ||
| 8. Sir Sway (14) J: Lachlan Neindorf58.5kg 2822xT: Sue & Jason Jaensch | ||
| 9. Oak Hill (11) J: Blake Shinn58.5kg 21x15T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes | ||
| 5. Queman (12) J: Luke Currie58.5kg 170x1T: Shane & Cassie Oxlade | ||
| 15. La Dorada (9) J: Luke Cartwright50kg 2111xT: Mark Walker | ||
| 2. Midwest (2) J: Jamie Mott58.5kg 19322T: Anthony & Sam Freedman |
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