2019 Moir Stakes - Enigmatic Nature Strip to prove critics wrong at The Valley

The Moir Stakes runs every September at Moonee Valley and it’s one of the more popular sprint races on the Australian racing calendar. 

It gives punters a good form guide for the rest of the Melbourne Spring Carnival and even races like The Everest. 

Bookmakers have released early nominations for the September 29 feature and we have our best bets and value tips for the popular Group 1. 

 

Nature Strip is an enigmatic thoroughbred at the best of times but there’s no doubting his ability to sprint over the short courses.

 

The rising five-year-old has been tough to follow but he ultimately has a record of 10 wins from 16 starts and many of those have come over the 1000m. 

He’s ideally-suited at Moonee Valley as he can ride the rail and kick strongly for home down the short straight. However, he was beaten into eighth when racing in the 2018 Moir Stakes but he did have excuses. 

He was slow away from the barriers and was put under immense pressure from the outset. The key to his chances hinge on getting a clean breakaway.

 

3.80 on offer from bookmakers is worth taking and connections will be wanting to win this race for a change to get a run in The Everest. 

 

Redzel isn’t quite the same horse which won consecutive Everests at Randwick, but doubting his class would be a mistake. 

He has been unable to win since scoring his second Everest in October last year. That includes a second placing in the Group 2 Victory Stakes at Eagle Farm – a race where he was the 1.85 favourite to win. 

However, punters know Redzel starts to fire at this time of the year and we’re not sure if he’ll get another chance to win The Everest, but scoring in the Moir Stakes would take him a long way.

 

He has the ability to ride the speed and sit just behind Nature Strip and strike late. 

9.00 is certainly great each-way value for a horse that has won over $15 million. 

 

Despatch is a runner which could go under the radar for the 2019 Moir Stakes. 

The Tony McEvoy-trained gelding has amassed a nice record of seven wins from 12 starts, which includes a win in the Group 1 Goodwood at Morphettville.

 

He defeated some nice horses on that occasion and although it was during the Perth Summer Carnival, it’s still a tough race to win.

 

The McEvoy stable could be on the brink of lining up some serious Group 1 horses and Despatch is good enough to lead the way.

 

15.00 on offer for a fresh runner over 1000m is ideal and we wouldn’t be leaving out the son of Written Tycoon at Moonee Valley.

 

Best Bet: Nature Strip – 4.00 @ BetEasy 

Best Each Way: Redzel – 9.00 @ BetEasy 

Best Roughie: Despatch – 15.00 @ BetEasy