Moir Stakes Tips & Preview 2023

Looking for Moir Stakes tips and best bets? We dissect times and form to find the winner of the 2023 Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley.

MOIR STAKES BETTING SNAPSHOT

It is the last start McEwen Stakes (1000m) winner, Imperatriz, that heads the market with Dabble at the $1.80 quote, while the Oakleigh Plate (1100m) winner, Uncommon James, has firmed into $4.40, while Asfoora is a $6.50 chance. 

A field of eight have accepted for the $750,000 night race and Rothfire is the other runner under double figures at $7.50. Zoustyle is at $19, while Generation ($26), Acromantula ($31) and The Inferno ($41) rounds out the field. 

MOIR STAKES FORM ANALYSIS

Four of the field of eight had their most recent start in the McEwen Stakes and it was the New Zealand mare, Imperatriz, that settled last in the field of seven before clearing out to win by more than two lengths from Rothfire and Giga Kick. 

The five-year-old was first up that day and went 14.1 lengths faster than standard benchmark, which is the best last start figure of any runner. Only Uncommon James has produced something superior in the last two years when going 14.6 lengths faster than standard to claim the Oakleigh Plate. 

At her previous second up run, Imperatriz claimed a Group 2 in New Zealand then came to Australia and finished runner-up behind Artorius in the Canterbury Stakes (1300m) before claiming the William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley. 

Rothfire was well beaten by Imperatriz but also races well at the Valley. The Queenslander comes into this second up and improved a couple of lengths at this stage last time to claim the Victory Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm. He then placed behind Think About It in successive Group 1 races at Eagle Farm. Zoustyle and Acromantula were 4th and 5th in the McEwen Stakes and might just be a tier below the favoured runners. 

Uncommon James resumes from an autumn campaign that saw him claim the Oakleigh Plate. He was runner-up in the Galaxy (1100m) after that then didn’t quite get the 1200m when 8th in the Quokka (1200m) at Ascot in Perth. Another Queenslander, he comes into this with a trial win and went nine lengths faster than standard when fresh last time to finish runner-up behind Lofty Strike in the Rubiton Stakes (1100m) at Sandown. 

Asfoora is capable of producing some excellent figures and has form around Uncommon James. She went 13.2 lengths faster than standard when resuming with a win in the Heath (1100m) at Caulfield on September 2. The Henry Dwyer mare produced similar figures in her first two runs at her last preparation and has to be in the mix. 

Generation was 4th behind Asfoora last time and will be out to snap a drought that lasts nearly two years. The Inferno is the other contender in the race and has an even longer drought. The 2021 Mcewen Stakes was his last win and he was runner-up in this race after that. But it is hard to make a case for the seven-year-old based on his form since then. 

MOIR STAKES TIPS AND BEST BETS

I am a big fan of Asfoora but it is hard to see Imperatriz going down in this race. Traffic shouldn’t be an issue in the small field and she draws to be in the running line from barrier 5 in the small field. Look for her to land one or two pairs back and get the upper hand late in the race.