<p>The Moir Stakes, run over 1000m at Moonee Valley, was originally developed to be the feature sprint race on Cox Plate day, late in October. The first winner, in 1976, was the flashy chestnut Scamanda. The Moir Stakes was elevated to Group 2 status in 1979 and earned Group 1 status in 2013.&nbsp;</p> <p>After starting off as a 1000m scamper, the Moir Stakes was extended to 1200m from 2007 to 2014. However, in 2015, the Moonee Valley Racing Club swapped it with the Group 1 Manikato Stakes and relocated the Moir to September, reverting it to 1000m.</p> <p>The great Black Caviar gave the Moir a boost when she won it back-to-back in 2010 and 2011. Other wonderful sprinters with the Moir Stakes on their CV include Manikato, Special, Placid Ark, Falvelon, Miss Andretti, Apache Cat, Buffering and more recently the champions Nature Strip and Imperatriz.</p> <p>Last year’s Moir Stakes winner, Mornington Glory, is not in this year’s Moir Stakes field after trainer Gavin Bedggood preferred the Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1000m) at Randwick, also run on Saturday.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Moir Stakes 2025 Preview and Details</h2> <p><strong>Track: </strong>Moonee Valley</p> <p><strong>Distance/condition: </strong>1000m. Weight-For-Age</p> <p><strong>Date: </strong>Saturday, September 6, 2025</p> <p><strong>Total prizemoney:</strong> $750,000</p> <p><strong>First prize:</strong> $450,000</p> <p><strong>Moir Stakes:</strong> Race 9 (4.50 pm)</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Weather and Track</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The Moonee Valley track was rated a Soft 5 on Wednesday. With the BOM predicting only casual showers to fall on Thursday, amounting to no more than 5mm, the track surface should remain in that lower, slower range.</p> <p>The rail is true for the entire circuit. History shows that Moonee Valley rail can be a significant leader/rails bias; however, in a high-pressure 1000-metre race with a testing uphill run, swoopers come into play.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>The Trainers</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Rob Heathcote</strong> (Rothfire) has won three Moir Stakes thanks to his former grand sprinter Buffering. The only other past Moir Stakes winning trainers are<strong> Mark Walker</strong> (La Dorada), who won with Imperatriz in 2023, <strong>Grahame Begg</strong> (Niance), who won with Our Egyptian Raine in 2003, and<strong> Leon Corstens</strong> (Baraqiel), Magic Music in 1999.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p> <h2>The Jockeys</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Veteran<strong> Luke Nolen</strong> (Rothfire) has won two Moir Stakes on the unbeaten champion Black Caviar.<strong> Jamie Melham</strong> (Esha) won on Coolangatta in 2022 and<strong> Craig Williams</strong> (Alabama Lass) won his Moir on Virage De Fortune in 2005.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>The Speed Map</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Tempo expected to be fast with three speedsters drawn inside barriers – <strong>Midwest </strong>(likely leader), <strong>Alabama Lass</strong>, and<strong> Esha.</strong> If these three go too hard, it could set the race up for the swoopers, and the best of those are<strong> Skybird</strong> and<strong> Oak Hill</strong>. Honourable mentions go to<strong> Rothfire</strong>, who will go forward, <strong>Niance</strong>, who might get some wide cover and<strong> Arabian Summer</strong>, who has the coveted fence position behind the pace.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Points of Interest</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Esha gets a start:</strong> Following the scratching on Thursday morning of Jedibeel and Tiger Shark (both running in the Concorde Stakes in Sydney), the highly fancied emergency, Esha, has a start.</p> <p><strong>Significant gear changes:</strong> Midwest (blinkers off, visor on); La Dorado (blinkers first time); Skybird (barrier blanker first time); Tiger Shark (blinkers first time).</p> <p><strong>Watch the weights:</strong> Jamie Melham will ride Esha at half a kilo over the 50kg handicap.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Moir Stakes 2025 Racing Tips</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>The Top Tip&nbsp;</h3> <p><strong>Skybird</strong></p> <p>It’s hard not to forget Skybird’s win in the Lightning Stakes at Flemington in February when she went by a class field as if they were nailed to the fence. Reports are that she’s been trialling brilliantly. She has a good draw, but she can be tardy away. The likely fast pace will set it up nicely for her, and she looks like the value play.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>The Dangers</h3> <p><strong>Alabama Lass</strong></p> <p>New Zealand’s top mare is in the hands of the clever husband and wife training team of Ken and Bev Kelso. She is drawn to sit outside the likely leader, Midwest, and she looks the best of the on-pace runners.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Esha</strong></p> <p>There’s a big wrap on this filly. Two wins from two starts and some sensational trial gallops show she is way above average. Importantly, she looks like she will get a start after coming in as an emergency (Jedibeel is likely to stay in Sydney). Jamie Melham has won a Moir Stakes on a 3YO filly, Coolangatta, in 2022.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Arabian Summer</strong></p> <p>Barrier one, following a fast pace, puts her right in the race. She’s very fresh and has been trialling well. She is one to throw into the exotic bets.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>The Roughies</h3> <p><strong>Rothfire</strong></p> <p>Grand old galloper in a stable that has won this race three times. Reports are that he looked good working at the Valley on Tuesday, and he’s a winner over the course and trip.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Niance</strong></p> <p>Not a mare you can underrated, especially from the in-form Grahame Begg stable. There’s a chance she could get a midfield run with cover.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Moir Stakes Same Race Multi (combination)</h3> <p>-Alabama Lass and Skybird – top three</p> <p>-Esha – top four</p> <p>-Arabian Summer, Rothfire &amp; Niance – top five</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>