Four Group 2 races at Moonee Valley – 25 October 2008

The Cox Plate is race 8 in a ten race program, but races 5, 6, 7 and 9 are all quality Group 2 races which are all worth betting on.

Race 5 is the $200,000 Schweppes Stakes over 1200 metres and Lucky Secret is favourite at $4.40 in the early market, ahead of Typhoon Zed at $4.80. Lucky Secret has won eight of his eleven starts including wins for both starts at this distance, and from five starts at Moonee Valley has won four and been placed in the other. He looks to be the main chance in the twelve horse field.

Race 6 is the $200,000 AAMI Vase for three-year-olds over 2040 metres. Of the nine starters the only horse in the field to have won over 2000 metres is Sousa, the Spring Champion Stakes winner, but the odds-on favourite is Whobegotyou who won the Caulfield Guineas very impressively at his last start. The only other runners under double-figure odds are Sousa at $4.20 and Carnero at $8.00. Carnero runs on well but hasn’t had many wins.

The $250,000 Cathay Pacific Airways Cup over 2500 metres is race 7 on the program, and has a full field of 15 plus one emergency. The betting is very open with Ice Chariot and Baughurst sharing equal favouritism at $5.00. Ice Chariot performed well in the Caulfield Cup to finish just over four lengths behind All The Good, while Baughurst won going away in the Coongy last week over 2000 metres.

There is a full field of 15 plus 3 emergencies in the $200,000 Jayco Crystal Mile, which is the ninth event on the program. The Toorak Handicap appears to hold the key to this race as the first four favourites, Sea Battle ,Rockwood, Pillar of Hercules and Orange County, all ran on well in the Toorak. Sea Battle is at $4.40 ahead of Rockwood at $4.80, while Pillar of Hercules and Orange County are both at $7.50.

by Jo Jackson

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