Moonee Valley Preview & Best Bets – Saturday March 18

in Bets of the Day 16 Mar 2023

Our form expert provides Moonee Valley tips for today’s horse racing at Moonee Valley Racecourse and gives his best bets.

Moonee Valley Tips 18/3/2023

BEST BET 🏆

Race 7 No. 2 ALLIGATOR BLOOD- ($2.80)

No reason to suggest why ALLIGATOR BLOOD can’t win again after defying the challengers first up at Sandown in the Futurity Stakes (1400m), defeating the likes of Mr Brightside and I’m Thunderstruck. He will strip fitter and kicked clear at his only go at Moonee Valley last year in the Cox Plate before finding the 2040m too far. 1600m is much better. Second up last time he was a big improver on benchmark figures when going from a luckless 7th in the Memsie Stakes (1400m) to a runner-up in the Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) behind I’m Thunderstruck. Not convinced that horse is going as well this time around and Alligator Blood gets the gun run in the first few.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 1 No. 1 MIDWEST – ($2)

MIDWEST can kick off the day for us with a victory. The four-year-old has bumped into some handy types at his past few and comes down from Sydney after filling the exacta behind the likes of Mariamia and Andermatt in recent times. Those two head to the Group 1 Galaxy. Midwest has had two starts at the track and trip for two wins and comes in with the best last start benchmark figures of any runner, while he is likely to lead them us, which is usually a tick at the Valley.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 6 No. 2 IN THE BOAT – ($4.20)

Market will be the best guide prior to the jump but keen on IN THE BOAT in the Listed Abell Stakes. The Lindsey Smith-trained galloper resumes from a spell and was solid in his two runs last time without much luck. Both of those were at Caulfield over the 1100m and he was 5th behind Shooting For Gold when resuming before running 6th behind the eventual Group 1 winner, Pualele, beaten just over two lengths on both occasions. The figures that he produced in those two runs stack up, while he loves the Valley with two wins at the track and trip. The five-year-old comes in with a 3rd placing behind I’m Thunderstruck in a trial and he will look to cross over from barrier 7.

BEST VALUE 💰

Race 8 No. 12 PARISAL – ($5)

Taking on My Bella Mae in the Typhoon Tracy Stakes and going with the Godolphin contender, PARISAL. The daughter of Astern has come back in excellent order and claimed her Maiden by four lengths back on February 3. She then tackled a BenchMark 78 over the 1100m and went a very healthy 10 lengths faster than standard benchmark to defeat Insurrection. Step up to the 1200m suits and she can box seat from barrier 2.