Moonee Valley Racing Tips
Track: Soft 5. Rail: Out 4m entire circuit.
Best Bet: Race 10 – GREY SHADOW
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Race 1: 2YO Fillies Handicap 1200m
Tough race to start the day with so many of these baby girls likely to improve. KINGS BROOK (1) was unlucky on debut then was dominant winning last time when running away from her rivals. She should be handy in the run and be too good.
Dangers:
ROYAL DUTY (2) showed improvement winning her maiden last time, she will speed through from the inside and try and lead all the way. TAHITIAN DANCER (3) was unwanted don debut but ran a nice race and this is no harder. SUNRISE DANCER (7) was good on debut, she was heavily supported in the betting and ran on well.
Race 2: Fillies and Mares BM84 Handicap 1600m
HECTOPASCAL (1) was good last time, closing all the time late behind an in-form mare. She has the wide draw to contend with again here but is likely to get back anyway and run on hard. She just needs the right horse to take her into it.
Dangers:
LINGUIST (5) was perfectly ridden last start and was comfortable on the line winning a feature race at Cranbourne. She gets the lovely draw again to hold the back of the leaders, a little concerning that this is her first go around this circuit. SNOGGING (8) comes back from a winter trip north where she was outclassed behind a good one. She is likely to go forward from the wide draw. ANOTHER BULLSEYE (2) maps better than last time when she was never on the track at Flemington around the long sweeping bend and had a torrid run.
Race 3: BM78 Handicap 1200m
SEVEN YEAR REWARD (11) looked like a future star of the sport at his first few starts, has been consistent ever since but has failed to win this time in. He gets his chance here as the likely leader, back on the smaller track he may be able to pinch a break at the top of the straight.
Dangers:
ARTIE DEE TWO (5) will probably start the favourite, he was only fair at the Bool before a win at Ballart and then having no luck at Sandown last time before finishing hard. He should settle closer from the good draw. BORD DE GAIN (3) looks an excellent place bet, he comes out of a hot form race two back and then won in SA last time in a race where there has already been a subsequent winner. He should get a very soft run from the draw. TUSCANY HERO (12) had no luck here last time, forget he even went around. His win previously on a heavy track was good.
Race 4: BM78 Handicap 1200m
KING RIVER (2) only had the one start last campaign after appearing in the stewards report, but it was a dominant win and he has won 3 from 6 when resuming. He has only been here to the Valley once, he looked to handle the track well enough that day having no luck and being untested through the line. He should be midfield settling and ready to pounce.
Dangers:
PRINCETON SPIRIT (5) has an excellent overall record having tasted defeat only twice in his six career starts. The latest of those he was forced to sit on the speed without cover and three-wide for the journey, he did well to not drop right off. DANE THUNDER (6) has placed both times he has been here, he will get back from the wide draw but has shown that he has come back well in two starts since returning from the paddock. BRAHMOS (8) may not have been in the best part of the track last time up the straight and is next best.
Race 5: Handicap 1200m
INN KEEPER (3) looks hard to beat with his imposing record of 7 wins from 9 career starts, he is a jump and run type that will try and lead, but he can also win from the spot outside the leader. He has the services of one of the best front-running jockeys in the land, if he finds the bunny first they won’t be catching him.
Dangers:
CAMDUS (4) had no luck here recently but was a good winner when resuming. He has the inside draw which looks a bit tricky, if he can kick through early and hold the back of the leader that will assist his chances. WIDGEE TURF (2) has an impressive strike rate and goes well here, his last two runs have been better than what they read on paper. He has a super record around here and if they go hard up front he will be the one rounding them up out wide. ASHLOR (7) has speed and a great record at the track but am unsure if he can win if he has to sit outside the leader.
Race 6: Mares BM84 Handicap 1000m
SHOWPERO (2) was perfectly ridden to score across the border last time, she will need a little more luck getting cover up on the speed here from the wide draw however. She rarely runs a bad race and gets SA’s top hoop Jamie Kah over to ride her.
Dangers:
RILLITO (4) was an impressive last start winner, but she has been off the scene more than a year, so she has obviously had her issues. She has trialed well on two occasions north of the border in preparation for this. Don’t be surprised if she is very heavily backed. CHIAVARI (3) was super winning fresh but her record second-up is not as good as fresh. Oliver goes on to ride and from the gate he will probably take her back at the start. BALANCING ACT (6) looks the only other winning option, she was a solid winner here resuming but has a shocking second-up record that she needs to improve on.
Race 7: 3YO Fillies Handicap 1000m
LAYEL (5) has a stack of speed and looks suited around the Valley. Her only poor run to date was up the straight at Flemington, she can lead from the good gate and looks hard to beat.
Dangers:
STYLISH MISSILE (8) is resuming, comes back from a much tougher race in the Kewney and is a perfect record 2/2 fresh. MISS LEONIDAS (2) is very speedy when right and led them up the straight last time before being run down late. FLYING KRUPT (4) has only missed a place once in her 6 career starts, in what looks an open race her form in SA has been good enough.
Race 8: Handicap 2040m
LITE’N IN MY VEINS (1) has good tactical speed, he will go forward early and try and lead all the way. He has the good claim to offset the big weight, if he gets a couple of cheap sectionals in front he will be hard to run down.
Dangers:
MY NORDIC HERO (6) was well in the market behind the top pick last time and wasn’t beaten far. He meets that winner slightly better in the weights here. RAW IMPULSE (5) had no luck in the run here last time and although he hasn’t won in a long time, he hasn’t been far away at his last couple. SELF SENSE (3) is in great form, he performed well in the Cup at Wagga behind a smart one before a dominant 6 length win last time over the sticks. Back onto the flat here, he will need to make a long-sustained run.
Race 9: Handicap 1600m
TATOOSH (13) comes from the astute Will Clarken stable, he has won 5 of his 8 starts this time in. This looks harder than what he has been beaten up on in SA but he will go forward and if able to get cover, they must be respected from this stable.
Dangers:
MAGIC CONSOL (10) has been up for a while but races well here. He will also go forward and probably be looking for that same spot with cover in behind the leading pair. AKAVOURON (4) will try and lead all the way but was beaten by the ageing Jacquinot Bay last time. AMOVATIO (1) is the class runner and may get the good tempo he needs to run on well. Gets the services of Oliver as a bonus.
Race 10: Super VOBIS 3YO Handicap 1200m
GREY SHADOW (7) was the clear black-booker last time at Sandown, she was held-up badly approaching and early in the straight before charging late to just miss. She was off the map against the girls last time, if she gets a three-wide cart into it, look out.
Dangers:
SPIRIT OF AQUADA (6) will be running on also, he was a last start winner here and this looks no harder. BEL SONIC (5) was clearly the better run in that same race, he was badly held-up before charging on late. If he wasn’t drawn so horribly he would have been very hard to beat but will need to overcome plenty of hurdles here. SAM’S IMAGE (4) was wide throughout here last time and not beaten far.