2026 MOIR STAKES: Form Guide, Tips & Betting Analysis

Andy G
2 days ago
6 min read

Updated: 19 hours ago

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/96c862_f6d39fb1b1ed41bdb74a7c1e2033c1dc/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

2026 MOIR STAKES DETAILS

DATE: Saturday, 5 September 2026

VENUE: Sandown Hillside

DISTANCE: 1000m

CONDITIONS: G1 WFA

PRIZE MONEY: $750,000

The sprinters are back this Saturday for the 51st running of the Group 1 Moir Stakes, a 1000m weight-for-age showdown.

First run in 1976, the Moir has become one of Australia’s premier early-season sprints. Traditionally held at Moonee Valley, this year’s edition moves to Sandown while The Valley is redeveloped.

Champions MANIKATO, SCHILLACI, MISS ANDRETTI, BLACK CAVIAR and NATURE STRIP feature on the honour roll, while BUFFERING won three editions. In 2023, IMPERATRIZ became the first horse to win the Moir and Manikato Stakes in the same year.

2026 Moir Stakes (1000m)
NO.	FORM	HORSE	JOCKEY	GATE	WT	ODDS
1	6x11x5420x	GIGA KICK	Mark Zahra	9	58.5kg	$4.20
2	1020x0170x	ROTHFIRE	Brad Rawiller	1	58.5kg	$20
3	x69x53070x	SKYBIRD	Ben Melham	12	56.5kg	$14
4	5x937x156x	GENEROSITY	Jye McNeil	7	56.5kg	$13
5	x1521x230x	OLE DANCER	Luke Nolen	8	56.5kg	$21
6	022x3N721x	GEEGEES MISTRUTH	Blake Shinn	4	56.5kg	$17
7	1223x2047x	MY GLADIOLA	Jamie Mott	6	56.5kg	$9
8	11311x515x	POINT BARROW	Daniel Stackhouse	10	56.5kg	$13
9	210x212111	CAVALRY GIRL	Craig Williams	5	56.5kg	$8
10	01327x331x	HEARCOMESTHESTAR	Beau Mertens	11	56.5kg	$41
11	219x1122x	EXTRAGALACTIC	Ethan Brown	2	56.5kg	$16
12	11x1512732	BAZABALL REWARDED	Teo Nugent	3	56.5kg	$34
13	12x1	NATURAL FLING	Ms Jamie Melham	13	50kg	$3.80

WHO'S HOT? — TRAINER/JOCKEY CHAT

There are some strong form indicators among the Jockeys and Trainers engaged in this race.

Ethan Brown, who partners EXTRAGALACTIC, has built a reputation for consistently outperforming market expectations by 11%, but his recent form has been even more impressive, exceeding expectations by a remarkable 25% across his last 100 rides.

Craig Williams is also in outstanding touch, currently outperforming market expectations by 26% from his past 100 rides despite typically performing in line with market projections. Williams combines with CAVALRY GIRL, who also benefits from the red-hot form of trainer Tom Dabernig. Normally a Trainer who exceeds market expectations by 10%, Dabernig has been operating at another level of late, surpassing expectations by an exceptional 47% from his last 100 runners, making the CALVALRY GIRL and Craig Williams combination one worth serious consideration.

Moir Stakes Past Winner & Results
YEAR	WINNER	A/S	IN-RUN	STAGE	LEAD-UP RUN	WT	ODDS
2025	BARAQIEL	7G	9th	2UP	1st Carlyon MV 1000m	58.5	$6.00
2024	MORNINGTON GLORY	6G	1st	4UP	1st Carlyon MV 1000m	58.5	$9.00
2023	IMPERATRIZ	5M	7th	2UP	1st G2 McEwen MV 1000m	56.5	$1.65f
2022	COOLANGATTA	3F	1st	2UP	3rd G2 McEwen MV 1000m	50	$6.50
2021	WILD RULER	4H	4th	2UP	2nd G3 Concorde Rand 1000m	58.5	$10.00
2020	PIPPIE	5M	1st	1UP	160 Days	56.5	$6.50
2019	NATURE STRIP	5G	1st	2UP	4th G3 Concorde Rand 1000m	58.5	$3.30f
2018	VIDDORA	6M	6th	1UP	146 Days	56.5	$12.00
2017	SHE WILL REIGN	3F	10th	1UP	196 Days	50	$4.40
2016	EXTREME CHOICE	3C	8th	1UP	195 Days	52	$5.00
2015	BUFFERING	8G	1st	1UP	292 Days	58.5	$7.00
2014	BUFFERING	7G	1st	1UP	125 Days	58.5	$5.50
2013	SAMAREADY	4M	6th	2UP	1st G3 Heath Caul 1100m	56.5	$7.00
2012	BUFFERING	5G	1st	1UP	111 Days	58.5	$2.00f
2011	BLACK CAVIAR	5M	2nd	2UP	1st G2 Schillaci Caul 1000m	56.5	$1.05f
2010	BLACK CAVIAR	4M	1st	2UP	1st G2 Schillaci Caul 1000m	56.5	$1.40f
2009	APACHE CAT	7G	4th	3UP	2nd G2 Schillaci Caul 1000m	58.5	$3.40f
2008	LUCKY SECRET	5G	1st	4UP	2nd G2 Schillaci Caul 1000m	58.5	$4.80
2007	MISS ANDRETTI	6M	2nd	1UP	126 Days	56	$1.75f
2006	CALIFORNIA DANE	4H	3rd	4UP	12th G3 Gilgai Flem 1200m	57.5	$6.00
2005	VIRAGE DE FORTUNE	3F	2nd	4UP	8th G3 Gilgai Flem 1200m	49.5	$4.60
2004	BOMBER BILL	9G	6th	3UP	10th G3 Gilgai Flem 1200m	57.5	$8.50
2003	OUR EGYPTIAN RAINE	5M	3rd	1UP	70 Days	55	$13.00
2002	SPINNING HILL	6M	6th	3UP	1st G2 Schillaci Caul 1000m	55	$3.50
2001	MISTEGIC	3G	1st	5UP	1st G2 Schillaci Caul 1000m	52	$3.50f
2000	FALVELON	4H	2nd	2UP	1st G2 Schillaci Caul 1000m	57.5	$1.40f
1999	MAGIC MUSIC	6M	1st	4UP	1st G2 Schillaci Caul 1000m	55	$5.00
1998	SHOW NO EMOTION	4G	1st	2UP	1st G2 Schillaci Caul 1000m	57.5	$4.50
1997	AL MANSOUR	3C	7th	2UP	1st Brian Crowley Rand 1200m	51.5	$10.00
1996	SPARTACUS	3C	2nd	5UP	5th G2 Schillaci Caul 1000m	51.5	$9.00
1995	QUALITY GOLD	3C	6th	6UP	1st Hast 1200m	51.5	$17.00
1994	SEQUALO	4H	1st	6UP	6th G3 Gilgai Flem 1200m	57	$5.00
1993	SPORTS WORKS	3C	N/A	7UP	6th Rand 1200m	51.5	$17.00
1992	SCHILLACI	4G	N/A	1UP	140 Days	57	$1.90f
1991	WITH ME	4M	N/A	3UP	4th Shorts Rand 1100m	54.5	$7.00

MOIR STAKES TRENDS, STATISTICS + FAVOURITES RECORD

The Moir Stakes has long been a graveyard for Favourites. Since 1991, just 10 Favourites have saluted, and only two have won in the past 13 runnings. Punters blindly betting $100 on the Favourite each year would be staring at a hefty $1,365 loss, proving this G1 sprint is anything but predictable.

While Favourites have struggled, the winner is usually still found near the top of the market. 10 of the last 13 winners who were not Favourites started at $7 or less, while genuine blowouts are rare. Only 5 double-digit-priced runners have won in the past 35 years, with WILD RULER the most recent in 2021.

Barrier draws have been crucial but could that change with the switch to Sandown? SPARTACUS remains the last horse to win from a double-digit gate, scoring from Barrier 12 in 1996. Since 2010, 9 winners have jumped from Barriers 1 to 4, including 5 of the last 7 from either Barrier 1 or 4.

Race shape also matters. 6 of the last 12 winners were leading at the 400m, highlighting the importance of speed and position in one of Australia's premier short-course sprints.

The Girls have more than held their own, with Mares and Fillies claiming 14 victories since 1991, including 5 of the last 9 editions. Recent winners have largely come through proven lead-up races with 9 of the last 11 winners who were not 1UP finishing in the quinella.

Saddlecloths 3 and 8 remain winless for 35 years. Remarkably, the last 10 Moir Stakes have been won by 10 different Jockeys and 10 different Trainers.

WHAT HISTORY SAYS WINS

✓ Single-digit SP

✓ Barrier 1-4

✓ Quinella finish last start

✓ Leading or on-pace profile

✓ Don't dismiss the Girls

✕ Saddlecloth 3 and 8

2026 BEST FIT: EXTRAGALACTIC $16

EXTRAGALACTIC appeals as the value runner. Drawn perfectly in Barrier 2, she maps to get the ideal on-pace run, while GIGA KICK must overcome a wide gate and settle off the speed. EXTRAGALACTIC has already attracted strong market support from her $16 opening price, and with Ethan Brown in outstanding form plus Mares performing well recently in the Moir, she looks the horse most likely to get every chance.

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NIC ASHMAN'S MOIR STAKES ANALYSIS

"NATURAL FLING was terrific first-up, cruising through the first 500m in standard time before going whooshka - smashing the marker by 6L over the final 600m. If she reproduces that rating with just 50kg, she’ll be extremely hard to beat.

SKYBIRD is the best longshot in the race. She’s fresh, loves 1000m and gets the wet ground she wants. The knock is obvious — she’ll be conceding them a massive start but she’s a G1 1000m WFA winner already.

I’d also have something on MY GLADIOLA. She resumed over this trip in the autumn and ran second in the Lightning, where they went seriously fast clocking 56.9 leaving GIGA KICK in their wake - remember the tongues wagging after TENTYRIS won? That stacks up well for this and the 1000m on Hillside is as close as you’ll get to straight racing.”

$50 #13 NATURAL FLING @$3.50

$20 #3 SKYBIRD @$15

$30 #7 MY GLADIOLA @$10

QUADDIE HUNTER

PODCAST: Feature meeting Track Report + Nic’s longshot + best bets → LISTEN HERE