EXPERT RACING TIPS: MOONEE VALLEY

SUMMARY

Known simply as The Valley, Moonee Valley Racing Club is the home of the Cox Plate, billed as Australasia’s weight-for-age championship. The $5 million race, which celebrated its centenary edition in 2020, became synonymous with Winx after Chris Waller’s mighty mare won it four years running. The Valley is also synonymous with night racing, having been the first club in Victoria to race under lights. Both the Group 1 Manikato Stakes and the Group 1 William Reid Stakes are run under lights. Whether it’s a day or a night meeting, our team of tipsters is adept at identifying the best Moonee Valley bets.  

FAST FACTS

• The $200m redevelopment of The Valley is due for completion in 2026, with the racecourse due to close after the 2024 Cox Plate to facilitate construction of the new grandstand. The club’s aim is to convert the precinct into the world’s leading night racing destination.
  

KEY EVENTS

The W.S. Cox Plate, which was first run in 1922 with a prize purse of just $1,000, is The Valley’s showpiece occasion. Currently worth $5 million and with several champion racehorses adorning its illustrious honour roll, the Cox Plate is widely considered to be Australian racing’s truest weight-for-age test. Mighty mare Winx dominated the Cox Plate between 2015 and 2018, surpassing the feats of Kingston Town to become the first horse in history to win the race on four occasions. Winx won the 2018 Cox Plate at odds of $1.24 and was even shorter in 2017, jumping the $1.18 favourite, but Betfair’s Moonee Valley tips tend to offer punters more value! Check out Betfair’s tips on the Cox Plate here.      

TRACK PROFILE

Known for its tight turns, The Valley is very much a ‘horses for courses’ type of track. The home straight of just 173 metres is the shortest straight in Australia, meaning it pays to be up on the speed (particularly in sprint races) as backmarkers rarely make up much ground. With a similar track profile to The Valley, horses trained at Mornington have a better-than-average strike rate here.  

When the rail is moved out 5m (or more), the track often favours horses drawn inside as they can dictate the pace of the race and make a winning break coming round the final turn. The Valley’s drainage system is excellent, with the track rarely rated in the Heavy range. Betfair’s experts take all the track variables into account when bringing you their Moonee Valley tips.    

HISTORY

Moonee Valley Racecourse was established in 1883 by William Samuel (W.S.) Cox, in whose honour the Cox Plate is named. In 1882, Cox purchased a farm belonging to John F. Feehan – in whose honour the Feehan Stakes is named – for the sole purpose of establishing a racetrack. With the club entirely owning the freehold land on which the racecourse sits, Moonee Valley is distinguished from other Melbourne metropolitan racecourses such as Caulfield and Flemington.  

Check out Betfair’s best bets for Moonee Valley today.