Moonee Valley Preview & Best Bets – 23/12/2023

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

Moonee Valley Tips 23/12/2023

BEST BET 🏆   

Race 4 No. 5 STAUNCH- ($7) 

STAUNCH can go close in Race 4 at the Valley. The five-year-old draws wide for this but has the speed to find a spot early on and has come close at his past two, finishing runner-up at Moonee Valley. He narrowly missed over the 1600m two starts ago before getting out to the 2040m, chasing well behind Makusha. The Matt Laurie-trained galloper went a healthy 9.5 lengths faster than standard benchmark in that race and comes into this fourth up. 

NEXT BEST 🥈   

Race 7 No. 9  RIVERINA CYCLONE- ($8.50) 

RIVERINA CYCLONE is not without a chance in Race 7. The five-year-old was runner-up over the 1600m at Moonee Valley three starts ago and has had excuses at her past two starts when finishing 6th at both Flemington and Caulfield. She was posted wide and without cover last time and was solid in Listed grade prior to that. The Matt Laurie-trained galloper was excellent at this stage of her last preparation when getting up in distance and with just the 53.5kg on her back, she is right in this. 

BEST VALUE 💰   

Race 3 No. 4 AKROTIRI ($10) 

Best Value comes up in Race 3 and AKROTIRI can go close to backing up his first up performance that yielded a win at Mornington on December 13. The Cindy Anderson-trained galloper settled handy over the 1500m and took over at the business end to score. Second up at her only other preparation, the son of Tarzino was a big improver on benchmark figures when going from a 7th at Sale to a win at Sandown. Daniel Moor rides and strikes at just under 20% for the stable, providing an 81% profit on turnover for punters.