| What | Cox Plate Qualifier Day 2022 |
| Where | Moonee Valley Racecourse |
| When | Saturday, September 3, 2022 |
| First Race | 12:30pm AEST |
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Visit Ladbrokes |
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It is Cox Plate Qualifier Day at Moonee Valley on Saturday afternoon where nine races are set to be run and won, headlined by the Group 2 Feehan Stakes worth $500,000 over the mile where the winner gains a golden ticket into the Cox Plate. Accompanied by races such as the McEwen Stakes, Atlantic Jewel Stakes and Chautauqua Stakes, spring is well and truly in the air.
The day of racing commences at 12:30pm AEST on a track rated a Soft 6, with the rail in the true position throughout.
Keep reading for our free race-by-race preview and quaddie selections
Race 1: Super Vobis 3-Y-O Handicap (1500m)
We kick off the day of racing where a field of eight three-year-old’s are set to duke it out over 1500m as they continue on a potential Caulfield Guineas field. Having been lipped out last time out at this track and trip last start on August 20, the Patrick Payne-trained Castillian looks the one they have to beat. He chased home the smart Berkeley Square two starts back at Flemington and considering that runner is the favourite for the Victoria Derby, it reads as great form coming into this. With a genuinely run 1500m event expected and experience at The Valley, Castillian should be making his run approaching the turn and ultimately proving too strong for this field late on in the piece.
1
CASTILLIAN
3
BIG STORY
5
RED SUN SENSATION
2
MAJOR BEEL
Race 2: Handicap (2040m)
Despite not winning in close to two years, the Brett Scott-trained Irish Flame gets his chance to break a long run of outs. The eight-year-old gelding has missed the top three on just one occasion at the track and trip and gains conditions that should suit him perfectly. The son of Zed has a record of 29: 6-3-6 on wet going and should be rock hard fit coming into this fourth-up from a spell. In the small field, look for Daniel Stackhouse to use barrier two to his advantage and lead the field up and with just 55.5kg on his back, Irish Flame should prove too hard to run down.
3
IRISH FLAME
1
MIDNIGHT BLUE
8
PRIX DE TURN
6
MOHICAN HEIGHTS
Race 3: 3YO C&G Plate (1200m)
One of our better bets of the day Shalaman from the Matt Laurie yard will be looking to bounce back from consecutive runner-up efforts when he returns to the The Valley 1200m. The three-year-old colt was nabbed on the line in the Listed McKenzie Stakes by Fast Witness having led the field up. Look for Ben Melham to use barrier three to his advantage and have this bloke lead this field up once again. Considering a majority of his rivals are looking to run on from the second half of the field, we doubt there will be too much pressure on Shalaman throughout. If Melham can gain a cheap sectional or two, Shalaman should be packing too much for this lot late on.
4
SHALAMAN
8
AMENABLE
2
MILLANE
1
SEBONACK
Race 4: Feehan Stakes (1600m)
Win and you are in to the 2022 Cox Plate, that is what is on offer for the winner of the Feehan Stakes. Last start PB Lawrence Stakes winner Mr Brightside is a $2 favourite with Bet365, and it is simply too hard to see how he gets beaten. The Doncaster Mile winner from the autumn was breathtaking when winning at Caulfield first-up and managed to get the better of Buffalo River late on and held off the smart I Am Superman. This is no harder, considering three of the six runners are being aimed towards a Caulfield Cup or a Melbourne Cup and the fact he is the only one with a run under his belt, he should be simply too strong in these conditions. He will not be too far from the speed in the small field and with a class edge on these over the mile, Mr Brightside simply looks the goods.
2
MR BRIGHTSIDE
6
INSPIRATIONAL GIRL
5
FORGOT YOU
4
EARLSWOOD
Race 5:McEwen Stakes (1200m)
The Cliff Brown-trained The Inferno relished a hot tempo in the McEwen Stakes last year when finishing over the top of his rivals late on. He is back 12 months later in a bid to defend his crown. Despite being one of the rank outsiders in the race with online betting sites, the six-year-old has plenty of class about him. Coolangatta is facing older rivals for the first time, In The Congo was nothing special during the autumn and the likes of Zoustyle and Rothfire will be joining the previously mentioned two in fighting for the lead. With that sort of tempo over 1200m, it looks perfectly set up for Jye McNeil to have The Inferno settled at the rear and left to have the last look at his rivals. If he is anywhere near his best, the $13 being bet is a ludicrous price.
1
THE INFERNO
- 7
COOLANGATTA
2
IN THE CONGO
3
ZOUSTYLE
Race 6: Atlantic Jewel Stakes (1200m)
The infamous duo of Peter Moody & Luke Nolen will combine in the Listed Atlantic Jewel Stakes with the progressive Boogie Dancer who looks incredibly hard to beat. She is six weeks between runs since her last start win over Berkeley Square and will most likely be settled on speed throughout. From barrier nine, look for Nolen to have this daughter of Sooboog outside the leader and considering she already has three wins on rain-affected ground, she is sure to handle the conditions in front of her. It is hard to knock her racing pattern at the moment as she continually shows a sharp turn of foot and keeps finding under pressure. She is a filly on the way up.
5
BOOGIE DANCER
3
I’MLOVIN’YA
4
LADY LAGUNA
9
NANAGUI
Race 7: Chautauqua Stakes (1200m)
The Listed Chautauqua Stakes is single handily the hardest race on the card and it shows by us taking the field in the quaddie. Having won the Group 3 Spring Stakes at Morphettville last time out, Calypso Reign from the David Jolly yard looks a great play at an each-way price. He comfortably defeated Group 1 superstar Behemoth and managed to put over two lengths on Pindaric on a Heavy 9. The son of Barbados is flying this campaign with four wins from his past five starts, including three wins on the trot to earn his chance across the border. This will be a hotly run race and from barrier 11, if Alana Kelly can have this bloke settled midfield with cover, he has what it takes to flash home late and prove too hard to hold out. With a bit of luck for the quaddie he or something else at a price can lob and add some value.
13
CALYPSO REIGN
8
PRINCE OF BOOM
7
CORNER POCKET
5
WANDABAA
Race 8: Handicap (1600m)
Our best bet of the day comes up in the penultimate event of the day when the Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young-trained Uncle Bryn steps out over the mile. The four-year-old gelding was an eye-catcher behind Mr Brightside in the PB Lawrence Stakes first-up when making up ground from the rear of the field. He looks to be a genuine mile specialist having won two of his three starts at the trip and considering he was less than three-lengths off a proven Group 1 star when first-up, he should prove too good for this lot. A few of these are perennial non-winners and Uncle Bryn should be the one flying home down the centre of the track and getting the job done.
5
UNCLE BRYN
6
MILITARY EXPERT
11
MAYFAIR SPIRIT
- 3
SO SI BON
Race 9: BM78 HCP (1600m)
Attractable from the Peter Moody barn looked to have the race shots to pieces at Caulfield last time out, but couldn’t match the finishing burst of the smart I Am Bene. The four-year-old gelding looks perfectly suited to the mile third-up from a spell considering he won at the trip fourth-up last time in. Look for Jamie Kah to be aggressive early and have him settled in the first half a dozen. If she is afforded that luxury, Attractable has the turn of foot to put a race away like this and looks to be the best way home in that last.
10
ATTRACTABLE
- 15
UNUSUAL CULTURE
13
POUNDING
- 1
HE’S OUR BONNEVAL
Saturday quaddie tips for Moonee Valley
Moonee Valley quadrella selections
Saturday, September 3, 2022
- 3-4-5-9
- Field
- 5
- 10-13-15
Investment: $168 for 100%
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