Spring feature changes at The Valley

[Wandering Eyes]

After the Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday the track will undergo a renovation and will not race again until the new racing season in August.

Night racing in the new season commences on AFL Grand Final eve on September 27 and will feature the Group 2 Feehan Stakes (1600m), moved from its traditional date in early September and solidify the race as the only domestic contest that carries a ballot exemption into the Cox Plate.

The Feehan Stakes has offered the winner a ballot exemption into the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) in October for a number of years, but the Moonee Valley Racing Club feels the race is better placed four weeks out from their major race.

Pinstriped won the Feehan Stakes last year before taking on the Cox Plate challenged seven weeks later.

And the Club has taken the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) from the Cox Plate program and placed it on Grand Final eve to strengthen the program.

That move has resulted in the MVRC and Racing Victoria announcing a number of changes to the sprinting program in early spring at Moonee Valley.

The Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m), run on Grand Final eve, has been brought forward to the meeting on September 7, while the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1200m) has moved from that early September meeting to replace the Manikato Stakes on Cox Plate.

RV Executive General Manager – Racing, Matt Welsh it the changes would enhance key feature races across the Moonee Valley’s Spring Racing Carnival.”

“We want to ensure that the Moir Stakes and Manikato Stakes draw the best fields they possibly can as elite Group 1 races,” Welsh said.

“This restructure is a benefit for owners and trainers wishing to campaign horses here and abroad as part of a cohesive national pattern.

“We see enormous growth potential in the AFL Grand Final eve meeting at The Valley as the Club kicks starts its Friday night racing season.

“It’s a public holiday, there’s thousands of visitors converging on Melbourne and there is clean air to present an amazing night of racing and entertainment.”

As a result of the Feehan Stakes moving to Grand Final eve, the Group 2 Stocks Stakes, for fillies and mares, has been shortened from 1600m to 1500m and will be run as a set-weight and penalties race rather than at weight-for-age.

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