Moonee Valley Betting Tips for March 22, 2025 - Race-By-Race preview for William Reid Stakes day

Alex Marsh

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Last updated: 20 Mar 2025

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Alex Marsh 20 Mar 2025

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Moonee Valley features an 11-race program on March 22, with expert tips provided
Highlighted horses include Steel Run in Race 1 and Moby Dick wrapping up in Race 11
Best bets: Clean Energy, Too Darn Lizzie, and Top Calibre; value bet: Moby Dick

The Group 1 William Reid Stakes headlines Saturday's Moonee Valley card. (Getty)

Moonee Valley hosts an eleven-race program on March 22 and our preview for Saturday is included below.

Moonee Valley Tips March 22
Race 1 - 12:15PM Ladbrokes Form Genius Handicap Tips (2500m)
Race 2 - 12:45PM Xtreme Freight Valley Pearl Tips (1200m)
Race 3 - 1:20PM Ascend Sales Trophies Handicap Tips (1200m)
Race 4 - 1:55PM Manhari Handicap Tips (1500m)
Race 5 - 2:30PM Jack Hirsch Memorial Yarra Valley Cup Tips (2040m)
Race 6 - 3:05PM Dce Alister Clark Stakes Tips (2040m)
Race 7 - 3:40PM Dynamic Print Group Alexandra Stakes Tips (1600m)
Race 8 - 4:15PM Packaging Needs Sunline Stakes Tips (1600m)
Race 9 - 4:55PM 3 Point Motors William Reid Stakes Tips (1200m)
Race 10 - 5:35PM Pkf Don Casboult Stakes Tips (1200m)
Race 11 - 6:05PM Caspers Pies And Pastries Handicap Tips (1200m)

Moonee Valley Tips March 22

Race 1 - 12:15PM Ladbrokes Form Genius Handicap Tips (2500m)

Best: 6. Steel Run. Mick Kent is a great conditioner of a young and progressive stayer, and they're often ready to produce once they get to their right trip.

Steel Run showed ability in four runs over his prep, which culminated with a stylish 2500m win at Flemington and he gets to that distance second-up.

He was the pick of the backmarkers via his March 1 return, where he ran the fastest last 800m/600m/400m and 200m of a race won by a smart Revelare.

Value: 5. Zulu Angel. This Tasmanian visitor is in decent touch, with two wins from his last four appearances and that includes a last start St Leger triumph.

The five-year-old landed good bets in that March 14 event and he arrived to that race off an honest performance in the Group 3 Launceston Cup.

Zulu Angel wasn't far off a Alhambra Lad in that 2400m feature, which is very good reading for a BM78 and he'll no work in transit from barrier one.

Race 2 - 12:45PM Xtreme Freight Valley Pearl Tips (1200m)

Best: 5. Warrior Smile. This is an open and while Chergui is a deserving fav on exposed form, he's now at start five and attempting a seven-day back-up.

Scenic Point will come out of this field, as that filly bolted in at Pakenham on Thursday night and the Hayes yard have left the metro option for Warrior Smile.

He was given time after two spring jump-outs and while the colt was green when winning his last trial, a senior hoop going for race day is a big help.

Value: 4. Royal Lodge. From the family as Elegant Fashion (Hong Kong Derby winner) is Royal Lodge and this gelding has won his last two jump-out's.

The Yargi-trained juvenile has shown good early speed in those 2025 heat victories and his last 1000m workout was recorded in decent time for the class.

This stable place their horses well on the country circuit and they aren't afraid to travel, so there's clearly an opinion of Royal Lodge if they's coming to town.

Race 3 - 1:20PM Ascend Sales Trophies Handicap Tips (1200m)

Best: 13. Top Calibre. He went three-from-three in his prep and the four-year-old arguably should be unbeaten, as he was unlucky first-up on March 1.

Looking for cover up the straight-course left him in restricted room when it mattered and his late work was encouraging once he balanced up with clear air.

The winner of that race (Pivot City) is on the second line of betting, so the market is respecting the form, but he has a wide gate to overcome.

Value: 3. Poifect. 1200m is on the short side for Poifect, although she was impressive debut winner over a similar trip and she's versatile distance-wise.

The daughter of Pierro generally comes to hand quickly (two wins and two placings from four first-up attempts) and she was a fresh winner last prep.

A Listed winner as a late three-year-old, Poifect gets handy relief after the 3kg claim from Dakotah Keane and she was aboard via her last jump-out win.

Race 4 - 1:55PM Manhari Handicap Tips (1500m)

Best: 13. Sun God. 1500m looks short of his best, with the Chris Waller-trained import having saluted over 2414m via his last European start in October.

He did campaign over shorter distances as a youngster and while this BM84 looks wide open, Sun God wouldn't need to be a world beater to salute here.

Off two Flemington jump-out's and having moved well in the last of those workouts, the son of Fastnet Rock looks forward enough for this Australian debut.

Value: 3. Sunsets. He was an eye-catcher first-up at Moonee Valley in September, where Sunsets recorded the fastest last 200m of a 1600m BM84.

1500m isn't his preferred journey, although this does look a little weaker than his last fresh assignment and his recent lead-up work has been sound.

The 2023 Caulfield Classic was given a strong workout to win his last jump-out over 1200m and class can easily see him finish in the first three/four here.

Race 5 - 2:30PM Jack Hirsch Memorial Yarra Valley Cup Tips (2040m)

Best: 7. Ziryab. This is the right race for Ziryab to attempt a longer journey and he did place over 10 furlongs in Europe before coming to Australia.

He hasn't progressed since opening the prep with back-to-back wins and in stronger company, he's been one-paced over a mile via his last two outings.

Ziryab will appreciate the weight drop, where he carries 5kg less from his last performance and the gelding moved very well in a March 17 jump-out.

Value: 3. Golden Crusader. Golden Crusader is coming out of the same Flemington race as Ziryab and that was forgive run from the seven-year-old.

From a wide alley over 1600m at Flemington, he wasn't able to cross and after covering ground throughout, Golden Crusader stuck on okay considering.

He's won his only try over this track/trip and that 2040m victory was recorded second-up after a mile return, so he's following a proven pattern .

Race 6 - 3:05PM Dce Alister Clark Stakes Tips (2040m)

Best: 8. Emphasize. Shanwah has to be the one to beat going off their Autumn Classic clash on February 22, where Emphasize was disappointing as fav.

After relishing a stronger tempo to beat older rivals on February 8, he didn't look the same horse last start (fractious behind the gates and raced keen).

With Derbies in mind, the stable may have just backed off Emphasize after his metro success and he was produced on the fresh side for his Caulfield win.

Value: 1. Red Aces. This son of Dundeel took out the Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase over this track/trip last spring and that win was recorded third-up.

It's been a slower build up this prep, with Red Aces returning over 1400m in the CS Hayes Stakes before a second-up appearance in the Australian Guineas.

While it wasn't a blackbook run, he was perhaps a hidden performance in that Group 1 (okay late and past the line) and this is a far more suitable race.

Race 7 - 3:40PM Dynamic Print Group Alexandra Stakes Tips (1600m)

Best: 1. Too Darn Lizzie. It's no crime in being outclassed by Treasurethe Moment and Too Darn Lizzie has clashed with the star filly twice this prep.

Treasurethe Moment proved too brilliant fresh at 1400m and while she repeated the dose second-up, Too Darn Lizzie did beat the rest comfortably.

Her best spring run came third-up on soft ground and she rounded out that prep with a third in the Thousand Guineas, so there's a platform to peak here.

Value: 2. Cilacap. She was the biggest forgive from the Kewney Stakes, where Cilacap spotted them a start early after settling well back from a wide draw.

Nothing went right for the Grahame Begg-trained filly, who appeared to building well in the straight before having her momentum stopped at the 250m.

With an eye-catching debut followed up by a winning hat-trick, Cilacap hasn't done much wrong and she was a first-up Listed winner only last month.

Race 8 - 4:15PM Packaging Needs Sunline Stakes Tips (1600m)

Best: 12. Charisse. It's an even bunch and form through the Tesio Stakes last spring, along with the recent running of the Matron Stakes reflect that.

Charisse is an underrated mare among this group and with blinkers going on for the Sunline Stakes, she could be the one peaking here fourth-up.

She ran the fastest closing sectionals of the Matron Stakes and despite being bolters odds in Tesio, Charisse would've gone very close with a kinder draw.

Value: 1. Quintessa. Quintessa is working into this prep fairly, with the mare was a little plain when carrying a big weight first-up in the Bellmaine Stakes.

She improved off that when third behind a dominant Coeur Volante in the Mannerism and the four-year-old has since won a jump-out at Cranbourne.

In January 2024, Quintessa was a Group 1 winner in NZ over this distance and last autumn, she was competitive in some hot three-year-old races.

Race 9 - 4:55PM 3 Point Motors William Reid Stakes Tips (1200m)

Best: 1. Jimmysstar. He was a stylish return winner of the Oakleigh Plate on February 22 and the five-year-old has completed a subsequent jump-out at Cranbourne leading into this attempt.

That recent Group 1 triumph was full of merit, as Jimmysstar made ground from off the speed and that was against the pattern of Blue Diamond Stakes Day at Caulfield.

Up the straight-course, he may have been better suited going to the Newmarket Handicap, however, keeping the five-year-old on the fresh side is more important.

Next Best: 5. Benedetta. At the weights, Benedetta wasn't well in via the Newmarket Handicap, where last year's Goodwood Winners had 57kg and she was giving weight to the whole field.

She still should've finished much closer in that 1200m feature, as the daughter of Hellbent found nothing but backsides/traffic over the last 200m in the straight.

That followed a decent return in the Black Caviar Lightning, where 1000m was a little on short side and there's good platform to attack the William Reid Stakes third-up.

Value: 8. Reserve Bank. The three-year-old raced too keenly on return, which left him with no late reserves and going straight to 1200m first-up left him a little vulnerable.

Also, it's worth noting that he raced on a Good 3 surface via that recent Flemington return and his previous four appearances were all on rain affected tracks.

This is a big rise in grade for Reserve Bank, but he's a lightly raced colt who still has upside and he should have an early tactical edge on a few of the market elects.

Race 10 - 5:35PM Pkf Don Casboult Stakes Tips (1200m)

Best: 7. Clean Energy. The main knock on Clean Energy ahead of her March 1 assignment over 1100m was that she hadn't raced since May 25 last year.

Fitness did get her beat in that resumption...but only just, with condition giving out very late for the Waterhouse & Bott-trained filly via a narrow defeat.

She twice took the scalp of Lady Shenandoah in her first prep, while Clean Energy meets Scillato (second fav) 3.5kg better off from their recent clash.

Value: 3. Amelita. Amelita brings recent Lady Shenandoah form and first-up behind her gun stablemate, she worked home well for a sixth-of-twelve finish.

She ran the fastest last 200m of the Light Fingers Stakes before contesting the Group 1 Surround Stakes, where the filly was never in contention.

The drop in trip suits (she didn't run a strong 1400m), especially coming out of a fast-run race and Amelita was a Group 3 winner third-up last spring.

Race 11 - 6:05PM Caspers Pies And Pastries Handicap Tips (1200m)

Best: 12. Moby Dick. Connections will be hoping for more consistency over this prep with the talented Moby Dick, who is ready to kick-off his third campaign.

With a dominant debut followed by a soft BM64 success, he created a big early impression last March (She's Bulletproof was runner-up in the second win).

Moby Dick didn't progress last spring, but he opened that last prep with a victory over Headwall, Baraqiel and Nadal, which is effectively Group 1 form.

Value: 4. Crosshaven. It's been a mixed bag from his jump-out's, with Crosshaven moving well in the first before working like a maiden hurdler in the second.

His third and last hit-out on March 11 was solid and while the veteran lacks the upside of some of his more progressive rivals, he's far from hopeless.

Among his better efforts last year was a half-length loss in the Group 2 Australia Stakes, which was his last run here (quinella both subsequent Group 1 winners).

Verdict

Moonee Valley - March 22

Our best & value bets for Saturday's Moonee Valley meeting are:

Clean Energy

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Too Darn Lizzie

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Top Calibre

To Win

$3.20 - 3 Units

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