Welcome to our preview and horse racing betting tips for racing at Moonee Valley on Saturday, June 2nd.
We have a nine-race card on a Good 4 track with the rail in the true position. This is the first time in several weeks that we’ve raced at the Valley so it will be important to keep an eye on the early races, but as always, it’s best to be up on speed here.
We’ve got betting tips and comments for every race below.
Moonee Valley Racing Tips
Best Bet: Race 8 #1 Iconoclasm
Best Value: Race 4 #4 Belwazi
RACE 1
Just the seven runners to go around after scratchings in the first. She’s short enough at $1.75 but it does look to be a nice race for (1) Anjana, who is looking to make it three wins from as many career starts. There are some queries about her at the short quote - she has all the weight to carry with 2.5 – 4kg more than every other horse in the field, she’s won both her races on wet ground and there are a couple of unseen horses on debut in this race, but from what we’ve seen she looks pretty talented. She drew barrier 1 last start at Ballarat and sat behind the leaders, so it’s likely she’ll be in the same position from barrier 1 again here. Looks very hard to beat.
TIP: (1) Anjana
RACE 2
Nice little race. The two at the top of the race card look to have a little class edge on the rest of the field, in my opinion, but that’s not to say they are the only chances. (1) William Thomas is a horse I’ve got a lot of time for and there’s no reason to jump off him today after he won as our best bet last start. Draws well in barrier 3, carries a very similar weight and gets Damian Lane back on. He’s got the ability to settle wherever he is comfortable and with even luck I think he’s the one they all have to beat at $2.80. (2) Bel Sonic was an impressive winner over this track and distance second up last preparation when coming from last. He will be coming from a similar position here after drawing the widest gate. His first up run was very good and it’d be no surprise to see him launch over the top of them late. I think the value in the race is (11) Street Sheikh, who has never missed a placing from six career starts but is probably unlucky not to have won one or two more. He drops back to 1200m today for the first time since he won his maiden, after being tested over 1600m in recent starts. He’s been given a quiet trial since his last start and can go forward or back from the barrier. I have to have something on at $13. (6) I Am Someone has won impressively in his past two starts and can measure up, while the blowout chance is (9) Camila Lucinda, who gets the blinkers back on third up from a spell today. She’s $101.
TIP: (1) William Thomas / (11) Street Sheikh EW
RACE 3
(5) Divine Quality really gets her chance to win here, but the track will need to be playing fairly in the earlier races as she tends to get back in the field. Hopefully she’s not too far away from barrier 4 and can be within striking distance on the turn. She’s run 2nd in both starts back from a spell and with one or two queries over the other two fancied runners, she’s the one I’m going to be with. (3) Creativity beat Divine Quality by 2L first up but she got first run on her that day which proved pivotal. She then went to Adelaide last start and was only beaten 2.7L by She’s So High, which isn’t bad form at all! There looks to be a bit of pace in the race here so it will be interesting to see if Lane tries to hold the lead from barrier 1 or is happy to take a sit. Can she bounce back after a trip to Adelaide? (7) Moonlites Choice is first up here and from three first up runs she’s won two and was beaten 0.7L on the other occasion. She should be primed to run a big race here but you never really know what Weir is setting them for. Her trial was nice, though, and she’s a winner of three from four at the distance.
TIP: (5) Divine Quality
RACE 4
Deep race but I’ve got the resuming (4) Belwazi on top here at $9.50/$3.10, which looks a nice enough each way price. This horse is undefeated first up and is a 1000m specialist, with all five career wins coming between 955m-1000m, including one at this track and distance. Steph Thornton gets along well with him and she’s got a 19% strike rate at Moonee Valley, resulting in a 59% ROI for her rides. This horse has options from the draw with the ability to lead or take a sit. Trialled well leading into this and expecting a bold run. (1) Murphy’s Reward has a big weight to carry and a wide gate to deal with but he was beaten just a length in the Wangoom two starts ago before running 2nd to the talented Inn Keeper last start. They gapped 3rd and if this horse gets any luck from the gate he’ll be there for a long way. Needs a top ride. (3) You’ve Been Had has won four of his five career starts, including two at Cranbourne to kick off this preparation. Typically, I don’t tend to rate Cranbourne form very strongly but he’s clearly a horse that’s up to this sort of level. Drawn poorly but Melham is a positive jockey booking having ridden him in both starts this prep. (15) Strykinglee gets in very light with just 52.5kg and has a very good second up record (four starts, one win, three 2nds) but Fred Kersley isn’t exactly in peak form and there’s a big possibility that the horse finds itself buried away on the fence. (7) Sam’s Image beat Nature Strip at Caulfield last start but you really have to take this horse on trust.
TIP: (4) Belwazi EW
RACE 5
This is an interesting race because we’ve got a very short priced favourite in (4) Jamaican Rain at $2, but this horse has a history of underperforming when very hard in the market. She bolted in at Cranbourne first up and was also entered for Sydney this weekend, but the stable has elected to stay in Melbourne. She won by 6L first up and second up last prep she won by 6.7L in Adelaide. Her form behind the likes of Pedrena and Cool Passion at the back end of last prep is very good and from barrier 5 she’ll get every chance, but there’s a few at good odds that could spring a surprise. (6) Violent Snow won at this same meeting last year and comes into this third up after two “fitness runs” according to trainer Jason Warren. She’s undefeated over this track and distance and although she will definitely need a lot of luck, she’s not the worst hope at $51. (7) Fudged ran a decent race first up in a good form race and then failed last start at Sandown. If you look at her record you will see she is very rarely effective first or second up, but third up is a different story with two wins from as many starts. Awkward draw here but certainly not hopeless at $26. (10) Evil Lil is similar in that she seems to peak third up from a spell. She’d much prefer it if the ground was soft but she’s run well in two starts so far this prep and has claims at $9. Jamaican Rain the one to beat but something small on the others is the way I’ll play this race.
TIP: (6) Violent Snow / (7) Fudged / (10) Evil Lil
RACE 6
Two I will be backing here. (10) Magic Consol is racing in good form and looks to get a good run from the barrier here. Has a good record over this track and distance with a win and two 2nds from four starts and the form from his last start has already been franked through Boom Time. $5 is about right but wouldn’t want him much shorter in an open race. Also keen to back (13) Rib Eye at $8 who is third up into this after two good runs at Warrnambool and Flemington prior to today. Draws reasonably, I like the jockey booking and I think he finds a winnable race against a number of horses that have a few queries about them. It looks like (7) Raw Impulse is coming into form and D Lane takes over today. Hasn’t won from eight starts at this distance though. (8) Riyadh bounced back last start but is yet to win in four starts at this track and the same can be said about (4) Jacquinot Bay.
TIP: (10) Magic Consol / (13) Rib Eye EW
RACE 7
Four that stand out here in a big field. (11) My Nordic King goes on top at $5.50 after running 2nd to Boom Time last start. He was well beaten but he did sit three-wide without cover throughout the race and he looks to be knocking on the door for a win. (14) Four By Four is also knocking on the door. He resumed with a good run first up before having his chances ended by a severe check second up. Last start he was beaten just 0.2L by Jaminzah over 1800m at Flemington and from barrier 6 today he looks to get a superb run. My old mate (16) Zilbiyr was good last start and comes into this third up and up in distance. He is significantly better on wet ground so may not be a winning chance here but he has the ability to win in this grade and isn’t completely hopeless at $15. (17) Midas Man is also up to this grade and might be nearing peak fitness again after a short let-up a few starts ago. $41 is a big price about a horse that’s won his only start at this track and distance.
TIP: (11) My Nordic King / (14) Four By Four EW
RACE 8
Another big field but they’ll have to be pretty good to beat (1) Iconoclasm who has won five of his six starts since having the blinkers applied. The only one he lost is when he ran 4th after starting from barrier 12 of 12 at Caulfield. He carries 59.5kg after the claim today but he just looks a better horse than the rest of these. $2.30 is about right – he is deep into his first preparation and this is his first go at the Valley so that’s why we’re getting that price. (7) Andaz is knocking on the door for a win but just keeps finding one too good. That might be the case again here but he does get an ideal barrier draw. (12) Woulda Thought So gets a good barrier draw and a small weight swing on Iconoclasm from last start but that might not be enough to turn the tables. The absolute blowout could be (15) Shenanigator who ran last after being backed from $21 into $14 last start. Has been back to the trials and instead of being put out for a spell he races again here, so at $41 he could be an each way play.
TIP: (1) Iconoclasm
RACE 9
Two that stand out after the scratching of Inn Keeper. (10) Wise Hero will be much better suited stepping up to 1200m second up here and gets Damian Lane on board. Drawn well in barrier 2, has won his only start over this track and distance and I think he’s a good horse. $4 seems reasonable given he was $5 when Inn Keeper was still in the race. (3) Ashlor returns to Melbourne after running 3rd at Wagga last start. Normally I’d dismiss that form but his form prior to going to NSW was strong, with a win at Bendigo followed by a 3rd placing behind Rich Charm. Draws well and if we get over $6 I’ll be backing him too. Currently around the $5.50 mark. (2) Camdus won well first up but has never placed from three starts when second up, which is an obvious concern for me. (1) Lord Da Vinci is a smart horse but has to carry weight and deal with a wide draw. With the 3kg apprentice on, that could be telling. (11) Another Coldie isn’t hopeless at $20.
TIP: (10) Wise Hero / (3) Ashlor EW
