Moonee Valley full racing preview & quaddie | March 24, 2023

Race 1: Benchmark 70 Handicap (1600m)

We will be looking to kick off William Reid Stakes night with Cap De Joie from the Nick Ryan yard who was very good when first-up at Sandown over 1400m in a Benchmark 70 Handicap, finishing second behind Unusual Culture. Since that race, the form have stacked up very well, with Rivaport and Fancylanski coming out and winning their next start, after finishing behind this daughter of Farhh in that race at Sandown. Now that she hits this race second-up and steps up in distance to 1600m, we should see Blake Shinn ride this mare like the best horse in the race. From barrier eight Shinn will settle on the outside of runner at the rear of the field and look to push the button at the 600m mark and get his mare into the race. If runners can make up ground at The Valley on Friday night, Cap De Joie should prove too strong in the concluding stages.

• 9
  

  CAP DE JOIE

• 6
  

  RHINOCEROS

• 2
  

  ASPEN COLORADO

• 5
  

  SHARPER

Race 2: Benchmark 64 Handicap (1200m)

The second race of the night will be a Benchmark 64 Handicap, where the Clinton McDonald-trained Our Goddess will be looking for her third win at career start number seven. This four-year-old mare has won two of her three starts this campaign at Mornington and Pakenham with a disappointing run at Moonee Valley in the middle of those two wins. This daughter of Shalaa settled on the back of the leader at her most recent start, before peeling of its heels to take the lead, and even though she was clearly headed with 250m to go, she got off the canvas and fought back to record a very nice win. Ben Melham has ridden this girl at five of her six starts, so if he can get Our Goddess to jump well and sit outside the leader on Friday night, she will be very hard to get past.

• 10
  

  OUR GODDESS

• 4
  

  IT’S KIND OF MAGIC

• 6
  

  SQUAMI

• 5
  

  OUR HEIDI

Race 3: Listed Valley Pearl (1200m)

The first of the Listed or Group level races at Moonee Valley on Friday night will be the Listed Valley Pearl for the two-year-olds, where the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Brave Mead will be our on-topper after recording a dominant 4.5 length win at Pakenham over 1200m on March 10. This son of Brave Smash has only been to the races for two starts, finishing third on debut before winning easily at his most recent start. John Allen has ridden this colt at both of his starts and he will stick once again on Friday. From barrier two, we expect to see Allen settle Brave Mead in the one-one behind the leaders, and peel off their back on the home turn to stake his claim.

• 1
  

  BRAVE MEAD

• 3
  

  SHADOW FEAR

• 6
  

  ANA JAAHZA

• 5
  

  COAST PRINCESS

Race 4: Benchmark 64 Handicap (2040m)

The lone staying event on the program will see our best value bet go around, with the Tony & Calvin McEvoy-trained Mixmulti looking to record her second win of the preparation after a very gallant run in defeat last start at this track and trip behind Summerbeel on February 24. This four-year-old mare won over 2000m at Werribee two starts back before sitting behind the leader and eventual winner at her most recent start, going down by just under two lengths at the end of 2040m. This daughter of Swear is racing is good form this time in, only finishing out of the placings once at her four starts, and now that she is at peak fitness and drops back in grade from a Benchmark 70 to a Benchmark 64 on Friday night, she looks to be a great bet.

• 12
  

  MIXMULTI

• 2
  

  TEOFILO STAR

• 3
  

  ACCUSE

• 4
  

  COASTAL TOWN

Race 5: Group 2 Sunline Stakes (1600m)

The Group 2 Sunline Stakes is a Weight For Age race for Fillies and Mares over 1600m, where the Jerome Hunter-trained Barb Raider will be looking for her first win since winning the Group 2 The Roses at Eagle Farm in May last year. This four-year-old mare has had two starts this preparation where she finished fifth of six in the Group 3 Mannerism Stakes and third in the Group 2 Matron Stakes at her most recent start. This daughter of Rebel Raider is a proven Group 2 and Group 3 performer with wins in The Vanity, Kewney and The Roses to her name in 2022. With her normal rider Craig Williams on the side lines still, Blake Shinn will take the ride on Friday night. From barrier four Barb Raider should get all the favours in the run and settle in the one-one behind the leaders, and now at peak fitness she should prove too strong at the end of the 1600m event.

• 1
  

  BARB RAIDER

• 2
  

  SIRILEO MISS

• 8
  

  REVOLUTIONARY MISS

• 7
  

  EN FRANCAIS

Race 6: 55 Second Challenge Final (955m)

After several 955 Second Challenge heats, the final will be run and won on Friday night, with the winner taking home $130,000. Our best bet of the night will come up in the 55 Second Challenge Final, with the Peter Moody-trained Foxicon seeking to bring up a hattrick of wins after being victorious in her last starts in heats of the 55 Second Challenge. This four-year-old mare has been given two perfect rides by Jamie Kah in her last two wins, however, with Kah injured, Carleen Hefel will take over the reins on Friday night for the final. Their looks to be a lot of speed – as there usually is – in the 955m races, so Hefel can get Foxicon to jump well and settle just off the back of the speed, she will be powering home late to nab the slowing leaders in the shadows of the post.

• 8
  

  FOXICON

• 2
  

  UNFLINCHING

• 3
  

  LADY SOLLY

• 5
  

  SHALAMAN

Race 7: Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m)

The feature race of the night will be the Group 1 William Reid Stakes over 1200m, with the New Zealand raider Imperatriz opening as the online bookmakers favourite at $3.20, followed by Jigsaw ($7) and Benedetta ($9.50). The 2023 edition of the William Reid will feature nine Group 1 winners from the 14 runners and sets up to be one of the best editions of the race in some time.

Click here to view our preview and betting strategy for the 2023 William Reid Stakes

Race 8: Group 3 Alexandra Stakes (1600m)

The final race of the night will be the Group 3 Alexandra Stakes over 1600m for the three-year-old fillies and the Greg Eurell-trained Papillon Club looks awfully hard to beat after going down by the barest of margins in the Group 2 Kewney Stakes at Flemington last start. This daughter of Toronado has never missed the placings from five career starts to date, and her last two starts in Group 3 and Group 2 company have been very good, although she didn’t win. On Friday night Blaike McDougall will take the ride on this filly and with her drawing barrier nine, McDougall will have to push across the field and take up the lead. With two strong runs under her belt Papillon Club should be coming into this race nearing peak fitness, and if she can find the front without doing too much work, something will have to run out of their skin to get past her in the concluding stages.

• 1
  

  PAPILLON CLUB

• 2
  

  JENNY JEROME

• 6
  

  TASS

• 3
  

  AS TIME GOES BY