2020 Moir Stakes - Enigmatic Nature Strip to prove critics wrong at The Valley

Some talented sprinters will line up in the Group 1 Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley

Nature Strip is accustomed to winning at Moonee Valey in the spring time

2020 Moir Stakes Preview, Predictions & Betting Tips

Date	Friday September 26, 2020
Time	9:45pm
Track	Moonee Valley
Distance	1000m
Conditions	WFA
Prize Money	$500,000
Age	3YO+

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.

2020 Moir Stakes Field & Barrier Draw

#	Horse	Barrier	Trainer	Jockey
1	Ball of Muscle	3	J Pride	G Schofield
2	Trekking	11	J Cummings	K McEvoy
3	The Bostonian	13	T Pike	D Lane
4	Faatinah	15	Lindsay Park	J Kah
5	Nature Strip	1	C Waller	J McDonald
6	Viridine	5	J Cummings	B Melham
7	Tactical Advantage	8	K Lees	B Avdulla
8	Bons Away	9	Maher/Eustace	L Meech
9	Eduardo	2	S Zschoke	B Park
10	Assertive Approach	14	Team Hawkes	D Dunn
11	Sunlight	10	Team McEvoy	L Currie
12	Booker	4	Ellerton/Zahra	D Oliver
13	Winter Bride	12	Team Edmonds	T Berry
14	Meryl	6	L Curtis	D Yendall
15	Miss Leonidas	7	S Dwyer	S Baster

2020 Moir Stakes Best Bet – Nature Strip @ 4.00

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.

2020 Moir Stakes Best Each Way – Redzel @ 9.00

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.

Dual Everest winner Redzel will be a strong chance in the Moir Stakes

2020 Moir Stakes Best Roughie – Despatch @ 15.00

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