Tips Category: Moir Stakes

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2021 Moir Stakes Runner By Runner Preview, Odds & Tips

Moonee Valley Racecourse hosts their first Group One of the season and also the first Group One sprint nation-wide, the Moir Stakes. The 1000m dash has had 11 horses accept to face the starter, with plenty of The Everest hopefuls looking to make their case.  

With five slotholders yet to name their horse for The Everest, many are viewing this race as an audition for the richest race on turf. However, this isn’t a super talented Group One, with just three of the 11 horses having previously won a Group One while another three of the 11 are having their first taste of Group One racing. 

Exciting three-year-old colt Profiteer tops the market while last-start Group Two winner The Inferno is next best. Wild Ruler and September Run round out the top chances that are in single-figure odds, with this sure to be a cracking edition of the Moir Stakes. Read on below to find our runner by runner preview of the 2021 Moir Stakes.

1.Trekking (3) – $12
Jockey – Craig Williams
Trainer – James Cummings

The Godolphin seven-year-old looks to tackle the Moir Stakes, where he finished a narrow second to Pippie last year, second up after finishing behind Nature Strip and Wild Ruler in the 1000m G3 Concorde. He has three wins and two seconds from nine second up runs and is the most credentialed runner in the race. Williams interestingly jumps off Waller’s September Run for this ride, indicating his thoughts on the two horses.

2. Wild Ruler (4) – $7.50
Jockey – Daniel Moor
Trainer – P & P Snowden

Yet to taste Group One success, despite being a two-time Group Two winner, Wild Ruler is on the hunt for a slot in The Everest. He finished ahead of Trekking and second to Nature Strip first up in the Concorde, is 3:1-0-1 second up and has finished in the top three in eight of his nine starts on a good surface. Will this be too good and too sharp for him?

3. The Inferno (5) – $5
Jockey – Damian Lane
Trainer – Cliff Brown

The Inferno is a last start G2 Mitty’s McEwen Stakes winner at this track and distance, which bodes well for his third up run and first crack at a Group One in Australia. He did all of his best work on a good track in Singapore and will have as good a chance as any jumping from barrier five. His turn of foot is eye-catching and he has beaten home two of his rivals for this race already.

4. Portland Sky (8) – $11
Jockey – Luke Currie
Trainer – Matt Laurie

Portland Sky was just 1L off The Inferno in the McEwen after leading throughout and just not having enough left in the tank. Despite the wide draw here, it may actually help him get into the run better and allow him to burst home down the short Moonee Valley straight. He has won one of his two second up runs, has finished in the top two in both of his starts at Group One level and should be a major player in this race.

5. September Run (1) – $8.50
Jockey – John Allen
Trainer – Chris Waller

Despite being just one of three Group One winners in the race, beating home Swats That and Wild Ruler in that win, September Run has her work cut out for her and may have no chance here. She was great in the McEwen and is one of the better horses in the race but is a backmarker and barrier 1 at the Valley is the last place you want to be with that running pattern. She may find herself with nowhere to run entering the straight and it will take an absolute peach of a ride by Allen to get her to the line first.

6. Swats That (9) – $18
Jockey – Damien Oliver
Trainer – L & T Corstens

With a career best performance of finishing 1.75L off Nature Strip, Swats That has to be respected. She is yet to win at Group One level, from four tries, but has finished in the top three in each of her three first up runs, including a win. Damien Oliver jumping on is a positive sign and her trainers are confident but they have admitted this is short of her best and she may need the run. 

7. Brooklyn Hustle (10) – $12
Jockey – Brett Prebble
Trainer – J Warren & D Krongold

While she is yet to place in each of her nine tries at Group One level, Brooklyn Hustle is one of the more exciting sprinters to watch at the moment and finished fourth in this race last year. The Huss is hard to catch for punters, does herself no favours by settling towards the back of fields and is similar to some other horses we have previewed so far this Spring that have flashy finishes and keep on teasing you, however her turn of foot from the top of the straight is up there with the best in the business. The in-form Brett Prebble jumps on and two of her four career wins have come first up.

8. Ballistic Lover (6) – $10
Jockey – Blaike McDougall
Trainer – Joseph Pride

Ballistic Lover is a last-start winner in the listed Carlyon but this is a massive step up in competition. She is yet to race at group level, let alone Group One level and may find this too tough. She does have two wins and a third from her three second up runs but is hard to pick against some of these.

9. Miss Albania (11) – $31
Jockey – Liam Riordan
Trainer – Enver Jusufovic

While she finished 3.25L off Ballistic Lover in the Carlyon last start, Miss Albania had genuine excuses after being four or five wide for most of the 1000m race. She beat the likes of Oxley Road and Deep Speed in her run prior to that and can compete. The wide draw means she will likely go back again but she is much better than a $35 chance.

10. Shaquero (2) – $26
Jockey – Damien Thornton
Trainer – Chris Waller

Shaquero has been an exciting horse to follow, ever since his surprise first up win on debut in the G3 Breeders’ Plate at Randwick on last year’s Turnbull Stakes Day. Waller has given him two trials in the lead up to this and they are chasing good results to help boost his breeding prices. He is over the odds here, especially considering the weights, but may not match it with some of these over 1000m.

11. Profiteer (7) – $4
Jockey – Jye McNeil
Trainer – M Price & M Kent Jr.

The boom colt who has taken over favoritism, Profiteer steps out onto the track for the first time since down as favourite in the Golden Slipper. He won two of his four starts as a two-year-old and has blistering pace that may not be matched by this. He will be out in front and it just comes down to whether he can get enough ahead that they won’t be able to catch him.

Final Word

There are a couple of live chances in this race and some horses that will want to be performing well, for various reasons. Profiteer looks an exciting type and should burst to the front, but will he run out of gas late? The Inferno is a last start winner at this track/distance but with the rail out 4m at The Valley, it benefits on pace runners, which he is not. September Run has the ability to win this race, but the draw has done her now favours and she might not find clear air until it is too late. 

Ultimately, there are three horses that have won a Group One heading into the Moir Stakes and we are with one of them to win this one. Portland Sky had a terrific run first up when racing up the front and just running out of gas in the straight. He had only had one trial leading into the McEwen and will be much better for that here, over the same track and distance. Two of his four wins have been on a good surface, he hasn’t finished out of the top two at Moonee Valley and hasn’t finished out of the top two when competing at Group One level.

Given he has proven himself at the level, track and distance, Portland Sky looks over the odds and is a great bet for the Moir Stakes. 

Best Moir Stakes Tip: Portland Sky – Each-Way ($11/$3.40)

There is more Group One racing happening this weekend! If you want to check out our Runner-By-Runner analysis of the Golden Rose, click here! If you want a preview of the five-horse field contesting the Underwood Stakes, click here!

If you need more news, information and predictions, head over to our Moir Stakes page for all your punting needs!

*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of Neds.