Chautauqua favourite for G1 Moir Stakes
The world’s top-ranked sprinter Chautauqua is favourite to make a winning return in the Group One Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley.
Chautauqua is at $2.25 in the early market for Friday night’s 1000m weight-for-age sprint which has attracted 10 nominations including five Group One winners. Nominations have been extended until 10am on Tuesday.
Blue Diamond Stakes-winning colt Extreme Choice, who galloped at Moonee Valley on Monday, is at $4.40 as he takes on older sprinters in his first start as a three-year-old.
Lucky Hussler, the 2015 Group One William Reid Stakes winner at Moonee Valley, is on the third line at $6.50 ahead of three-time Moir Stakes winner Buffering who will line up in the race for a fifth time.
The Robert Heathcote-trained Buffering won in 2012, 2014 and 2015 and ran second to Samaready in 2013.
The Moir Stakes begins a big weekend of Group One racing in Australia, with three Group One races at Randwick on Saturday including the Epsom Handicap, while Sunday’s meeting at Flemington is highlighted by the Turnbull Stakes.