Mark Walker’s brilliant Kiwi mare Imperatriz is odds-on favourite to successfully defend her title and take her Group 1 wins into double-figures at The Valley in Saturday’s 2024 William Reid Stakes.

The ultra-consistent I Am Invincible five-year-old lost few admirers last start when running second to Cylinder in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) when carrying the 58kg topweight down the Flemington straight.

She gets the chance to atone and returning to winning form back to weight-for-age at her pet Moonee Valley track this weekend chasing back-to-back victories in the Group 1 $1 million William Reid Stakes (1200m).

Imperatriz, a winner of over $6.2 million in prize money, is undefeated boasting a flawless four-from-four record at the notoriously tight Moonee Valley circuit.

Her first look at the track was in the William Reid last Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival which she won by a length.

Success again on Saturday will see her become the first two-time champion since Black Caviar (2011, 2013) and the first to do so on successive years since Apache Cat (2008-09).

The latest William Reid Stakes betting markets have her at a short quote of $1.85 and firming at Ladbrokes.com.au to do so from barrier 10 of 11 with Opie Bosson continuing associations.

The danger looking for another upset over Imperatriz is Godolphin’s surprise Newmarket Handicap winning three-year-old Cylinder drawn the rails and paying $4.60 to win.

Sunlight (2019) was the last runner to complete the Newmarket Handicap – William Reid Stakes double that Cylinder shoots for on Saturday following the Exceed And Excel colt’s emotional win at headquarters.

He is yet to race at Moonee Valley, but has a top record over the distance (6:3-1-0).

The only other hopeful currently at single-figure William Reid Stakes odds is last year’s runner-up and Moonee Valley specialist Bella Nipotina ($7).

Ciaron Maher’s six-year-old Pride Of Dubai mare has a strong affinity with the track (9:2-6-0) and is drawn well in gate three third-up.

She comes off the same two lead-ups as Imperatriz when fourth to her in the Black Caviar Lightning before a Newmarket fifth.

Maher has also accepted for fellow mare I Am Me who resumes here and has an imposing first-up record (4:3-0-1).

The now five-year-old daughter of I Am Invincible was runner-up to Imperatriz in the spring’s Group 1  Manikato Stakes (1200m) at this track and trip beaten a big margin and was last seen running second to Magic Time in Caulfield’s Group 1 Sir Rupert Clark Stakes (1400m).

She looked the goods in a recent Sydney trial winning by over two lengths and from gate two with Ben Melham aboard presents as potential value at $10.

The 2024 William Reid Stakes is scheduled to run as Moonee Valley Race 8 at 4:15pm (AEDT) on Saturday’s 10-race card with full markets from Ladbrokes.com.au available by clicking here.

2024 William Reid Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw

No	Last 10	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Probable Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating
1	62725×9573	THE ASTROLOGIST	Leon & Troy Corstens	Declan Bates	9	58.5kg			104
2	x9275x440x	THE INFERNO	Cliff Brown	Jake Noonan	8	58.5kg			101
3	631x117x11	QUEMAN	Shane & Cassie Oxlade	Harry Coffey	4	58.5kg			105
4	17x244x271	JOHNNY ROCKER	Nick Ryan	Rhys McLeod	11	58.5kg			75
5	21x1111x12	IMPERATRIZ	Mark Walker	Opie Bosson	10	56.5kg			119
6	6x33315x45	BELLA NIPOTINA	Ciaron Maher	John Allen	3	56.5kg			114
7	117x16122x	I AM ME	Ciaron Maher	Ben Melham	2	56.5kg			110
8	8x27415x07	QUEEN OF THE BALL	Michael Freedman	Billy Egan	7	56.5kg			96
9	3x24221x42	HYPOTHETICAL	Anthony & Sam Freedman	Michael Dee	6	56.5kg			104
10	7x11350x61	CYLINDER	James Cummings	Beau Mertens	1	56kg			113
11	1x233x31x8	KING’S GAMBIT	Peter & Paul Snowden	Jamie Mott	5	56kg			95

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

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