Welcome to our horse racing preview and betting tips for racing at Moonee Valley on Friday, February 21st.
A huge weekend of feature racing gets underway with tonight's G3 Typhoon Tracy Stakes meeting at The Valley, where the track is a Good 4 and the rail is out 5m.
Find our preview and tips for every race below!
Moonee Valley Racing Tips: Friday, February 21st
Best Bet: Race 7 - (4) Sassy Salitage
Best Value: Race 5 - (8) Germanotta
We kick off the night with a 3000m contest. The $7.00 looks a decent each way bet for (5) Alienated. He's undefeated at this distance from four attempts, including two at this track. He comes into this off back-to-back victories, with his most recent being at the track and distance. Although that was in easier company, he looks well placed again tonight with just 53kg on his back. (2) Yulong Rising also comes into this on the back of a victory at The Valley, which was over 2500m. He was strong through the line on that occasion so I don't see the step up to 3000m being much of an issue. He'll need luck at some stage given he's drawn the inside, but he's a deserved favourite.
(6) Palacio Musico doesn't deserve to be fourth pick in the market, in my opinion. He resumed with a good effort behind Proper Rogue at Geelong. Proper Rogue has since come out and won again at Flemington, which gives the form line plenty of substance. Hopefully from barrier 11 they push forward to sit in the first few, and if he lands outside the leader he should be very tough to beat. (7) Shevrolet jumped out at Cranbourne recently and it was a very stylish effort, cruising to the line by about 4L under a hold. He showed good speed early and maintained it throughout. On that effort, I'd be very surprised if he wasn't competitive here. He looks the one that's hardest to beat, so I'll be saving on him.
I think (3) Meteorite is a pretty smart type and I expect him to be hard to beat first up tonight. He had form behind the likes of Garner and Sartorial Splendour last preparation, before he dropped back to a maiden here at The Valley and won easily. That was over 1200m but I think he can win over 1000m fresh tonight. He's a go-forward type of horse but there is a bit of speed drawn inside him, so he might have to settle outside the lead or one pair back. (4) Nebarazb started $1.60 on debut at Benalla and fell in. Respecting his SP profile and expect him to improve tonight at each way odds. (1) Jedastar is lightning quick out of the gates so from barrier 1 she should hold the inside and lead. That gives her a chance over the 1000m at The Valley, especially with the rail out 5m, but I think she's a bit of a squib so she'll be paddling late.
(6) Think I'm Dreaming ran 2nd to Adelaide Ace two starts back before finishing runner-up again last start. She's drawn wide tonight so is likely to get back which is the query, but I'll stick with her after last start. The blinkers are replaced by the winkers tonight and if she runs to her past couple, she's a winning chance again. (4) Champagne Cocktail is the second rank outsider in the field but I think she's a sneaky chance at the odds. She won first up and then ran 4th last start after sitting wide without cover throughout. She's placed in five of her eight starts when third up from a spell and she's also run 2nd at her two starts at this track and distance. She has her chinks - she's a bit of a non-winner and her first up win was just her first win on turf in her career, but she's an each way hope with the good draw and apprentice claim.
Value: (4) Champagne Cocktail $18
(6) Think I'm Dreaming
$3.70
(8) Germanotta is an each way chance in the 955m dash, currently rated a $7.00 chance in betting. She's first up tonight and after being entered in a few races recently, they choose to kick her off tonight. She won first up last prep and she tends to do her best racing when kept fresh - you'll notice most of her runs are spaced by four or five weeks. She won fresh off a four-week break over 1000m here at The Valley last prep and her racing pattern gives her an advantage at the track as she puts herself right on the speed. Expect her to go forward and I suspect she'll be very competitive.
Probably the hardest race on the night because not much stands out. (9) Gone Rogue isn't the worst bet at double figure odds. He ran home well behind Falls at Pakenham last start and Falls came out and won again at Sandown on Wednesday to frank the form. Barrier 9 is awkward and this is his first run in metro company but it's that sort of race. (1) Vungers has returned in good order, placing in her first two runs this campaign. She is expected to run well again but she's just a bit of a non-winner so I struggle to see her winning, though I wouldn't be surprised to see her be much further forward tonight. (2) Bill The Bee won here three starts ago in this grade. He'd probably only have to run up to his last effort to go close. (11) Millie The Missile didn't get much luck at a crucial stage here last start and might have finished much closer. She can be thrown in again at odds.
The promising (4) Sassy Salitage returns to the track tonight first up in the Typhoon Tracy. She won her first two career starts before being run down by Exhilarates in Listed grade here last time we saw her. Her jumpout at Cranbourne was terrific and the stabe gave her a very good push ahead of the race tonight. Damien Oliver takes the ride and from barrier 2 she probably sits on the heels of the leaders before hopefully powering over the top late. (8) Ms Catherine is the likely leader after she flew out to lead over 1000m last start. She never looked back, kicking clear rounding the turn to bolt in by 4L. She's undefeated coming into this but both have been over the 1000m, whereas tonight is a step up to 1200m, a box she hasn't ticked just yet. (1) Tenley comes into this first up with no public trials under the belt but I think she's probably the one that's been underrated by the market. She hasn't reached the heights of her two-year-old season yet but she's won twice before when first up and James Cummings knows how to target them at these races. The one at huge odds that could run a race is (9) Song Brocade who John Sadler gave a very good push for. She didn't stay over the longer trips last campaign but she's been trained as a sprinter this time in and reports are she could be very competitive at huge odds.
(10) Leiter doesn't have the best set up for this, with an 1100m race followed by 955m and now up to 1200m, but I think he's still the one to beat. His form behind Gytrash from last prep certainly looks very good now and he should have won over the 955m dash last start. 3kg apprentice Tom Stockdale is replaced by James Winks so he gets his chance to win. (11) Vegas Knight is a classy runner but I just query whether 1200m first up might be a bit on the sharp side for him. He should have won a Group 2 here last prep, which was over 1600m, and he's yet to race over 1200m since his debut last year. Craig Williams is booked though, so that's a positive lead. (3) I Got You has had a long time off but he ran 3rd in a good race first up from a similar break last prep. He's one to include at big odds, while (4) Sheriff John Stone isn't hopeless at huge odds either.
