Moir Stakes Racing Tips - Giga to flourish in the Soft at Sandown, while value runner can surprise at $18

The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained youngster has won two of her three starts and returned with a dominant four-length at Group 3 level and gets just 50kg as she tackles older horses for the first time.

She now takes a significant rise in grade, but fillies and mares have an excellent record in the Moir, winning 11 of the past 23 editions, and Natural Fling's lightweight gives her an opportunity to announce herself as one of the stars of the spring.

Giga Kick brings the strongest credentials into the race and the former Everest (1200m) winner is out to add another Group 1 to a career that has already included the All Aged Stakes (1400m) and Doomben 10,000 (1200m). 

His autumn campaign was winless, although he was runner-up in the TJ Smith Stakes (1200m), while his spring preparation last year included victories in the Schillaci Stakes (1100m) and VRC Sprint Classic (1200m). He has had a jump-out and a gallop at Sandown leading into Saturday and Clayton Douglas believes the expected pressure of the 1000m contest should play to the gelding's strengths.

Cavalry Girl brings race fitness and winning form into the contest after putting together three consecutive victories. She showed her speed when running nearly 13 lengths faster than standard over 1000m at Caulfield two starts ago before handling the Heavy going to take out the Carlyon Stakes (1000m) at Sandown last time. This is another rise in class, but she is one of the few key chances arriving here deep into a preparation rather than resuming.

There is plenty of depth beyond the leading trio. My Gladiola resumes after finishing alongside Point Barrow during the autumn, while Generosity is another proven fresh performer and won the Group 2 Challenge Stakes over 1000m when resuming last preparation. 

Skybird is already a Group 1 winner over the distance courtesy of her Lightning Stakes success and returns after a Queensland campaign, while Point Barrow is a previous Sandown 1000m winner who should be charging home. Generosity has also already shown she can match the favourite, having defeated Giga Kick over this trip in Sydney.

Geegees Mistruth adds further interest at double-figure odds after an unlucky first-up performance last preparation in the WJ Adams Stakes, while Extragalactic, Rothfire and several other established sprinters ensure there should be no shortage of pressure. With 10 of the 13 runners resuming and Sandown replacing the familiar Moonee Valley circuit, there are plenty of variables in one of the most intriguing editions of the Moir in recent years.

The Group 1 Moir Stakes heads to Sandown for the first time on Saturday, with the 1000m feature traditionally held at Moonee Valley but transferred while The Valley undergoes redevelopment. 

First run in 1976, the Moir has developed an outstanding honour roll that includes Black Caviar, Nature Strip, Imperatriz, Buffering, Apache Cat and Miss Andretti, and the 2026 edition brings together an intriguing mix of established Group 1 sprinters and emerging talent.

Showers are forecast for Sandown and we should get to a Soft track or worse, given that the Moir Stakes is scheduled for 4:15PM, which is Race 8 on the programme. 

Natural Fling has drawn the outside barrier but has the early speed to press forward and should be looking to cross towards the lead. Cavalry Girl maps prominently from barrier five and Bazaball Rewarded can also be right there from gate three, while Rothfire draws ideally in barrier one and should settle just behind the leading pair.

Ole Dancer maps around the on-pace/midfield position, while Extragalactic should land around midfield from barrier two. My Gladiola, Generosity and Geegees Mistruth are also likely to settle through the middle division.

Giga Kick has drawn barrier nine and looks likely to settle in the second half rather than become involved in an early speed battle. Skybird is in a similar position from barrier 12, while Point Barrow is the clear backmarker from gate 10. There looks to be enough pressure generated by Natural Fling, Cavalry Girl and the runners drawn underneath them to give the closers their chance, which could be particularly important for Giga Kick.

Giga Kick is the class runner of the field and looks a good bet at around the $4.60 mark. The former Everest winner went through the autumn without winning and could only manage 5th placing in the Lightning Stakes (1000m) when fresh but was a tad keen that day, settling further forward than normal, while Flemington was a Good surface. He should flourish with Soft conditions expected, while he showed how effective he can be fresh when winning the Schillaci Stakes at Caulfield last spring, producing a figure around 14 lengths faster than standard. The seven-year-old draws barrier 9 and that should suit with Sandown Hillside sprint runners usually getting their chance to let down with the long straight. 

Natural Fling is clearly the danger after producing a figure more than 10 lengths faster than standard when winning the Quezette first-up and she gets just 50kg, but she is being asked to make a significant leap against seasoned Group 1 sprinters. Her only previous second-up run resulted in defeat in the Magic Millions and from barrier 13 she may have to do some work early. With genuine pressure expected, Giga Kick should be able to settle off the speed before getting his chance to power over the top of them.

Geegees Mistruth appeals as the value at around $18. She was luckless when resuming in the WJ Adams Stakes at Caulfield last autumn, beginning slowly before running into traffic and rattling home late behind Way To The Stars. Her 1000m form is better than it might initially appear, including another luckless effort when narrowly beaten by Rey Magnerio, and she generally performs well fresh.

The Mark Walker mare looked good in a recent trial and any rain around Sandown should only enhance her prospects given her strong record on rain-affected ground. Whether she is quite good enough to win a Group 1 of this quality remains the query, but at the double-figure price she has enough positives to make her an attractive value play in an open Moir Stakes.