We are back at The Valley on Saturday for Charter Keck Cramer Moir Stakes Day and a 10-race program. It is the start of spring and the stars of the track are starting to return, making for what should be an exciting day of racing. The rail is true the entire circuit, the track is a Good 4 and the tight turns of The Valley generally favour those up on the speed.
We start the day with a look at Race 4, Strathmore Community Bendigo Bank over the Cox Plate distance of 2040m. There is a large field of 15 runners which makes finding a winner that much harder, but we like the look of the Ciaron Maher-trained Lauding (NZ).
The gelding loves the Moonee Valley circuit with three wins from as many starts, boasts a 50% strike rate over the distance, and his eight starts on Good tracks have yielded three wins and four minor placings. Barrier 6 should not be an issue with what looks to be limited speed inside, and he should get a nice sit near the front alongside Station One. Lincoln Rocks (NZ) is our next best, narrowly missing to Lauding last time out.
Moving on to Race 7, Mcmahon’s Dairy Mckenzie Stakes (1200m), and we are hoping for some value in a small field from Stoli Bolli. The three-year-old gelding is having only his third start, but we like the way he hit the line last time out at The Valley, going down 1.8L to Daggers. The outside draw should not be an issue with only eight starters, and he should look to cross and get a nice one-out, one-back sit just behind Sergeant Major and Red Sea. This looks to be a very competitive race with several nice types commence their spring campaigns.
Our last race for the day is Race 9, Charter Keck Cramer Moir Stakes (1000m), and we have a few runners from our black book to have a look at here.
I Wish I Win (NZ) returns for his spring campaign kick-off, the in-form Mornington Glory is chasing his third straight win, but we are tipping Estriella to start the spring a winner. This talented mare looked super winning a recent Cranbourne trial by 5L and she boasts an unblemished first-up record.
She loves a dry track with four wins from six starts and combines well with jockey Blake Shinn for four wins and four minor placings from nine starts. Drawn wide but there does not look to be much of a fight for the lead, so we expect she should be able to get over and find a spot somewhere in the first or second pair. I Wish I Win will no doubt be right there are the finish, but we would prefer to see him over more distance and ideally with some cut in the track.
Good luck punters and remember to gamble responsibly.
As published on Thoroughbrednews.com.au