William Reid Stakes 2024 betting preview & tips | March 23

Wandering Eyes · March 20

William-Reid-Stakes-2024-Preview-500x280

What	William Reid Stakes 2024
Where	Moonee Valley Racecourse – Feehan Ave, Moonee Ponds VIC 3039
When	Saturday, March 23, 2024
Prizemoney	$1,000,000
Distance	1200m
2023 winner	Imperatriz (7) \| T: Mark Walker \| J: Opie Bosson (56.5kg)
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The Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) takes top billing on a stacked 10-race meeting at Moonee Valley on Saturday afternoon. With Kiwi superstar Imperatriz and Newmarket Handicap (1200m) winner Cylinder in the mix, some of the best sprinters in Victoria are set to clash. Can Imperatriz keep her unbeaten Moonee Valley record intact, or can Cylinder and co. hand the mare a second straight defeat?

2024 William Reid Stakes odds

Imperatriz (-133.33) is deserving of her short quote having won all four of her starts at the track. Cylinder (+450) will look to repeat his Newmarket Handicap success, while Bella Nipotina (+650) and I Am Me (+650) are the only other runners with a single-figure quote. King’s Gambit leads the rest of the market at +2000 with horse racing bookies.

2024 William Reid Stakes speed map

Having run the quinella in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m), both Queman and Hypothetical are expected to lead the field up in Saturday’s William Reid Stakes. Queen Of The Ball, The Astrologist and I Am Me will all look to take a sit just off the speed, while race favourite Imperatriz and fellow market fancies Bella Nipotina and Cylinder will look to hold a midfield position. Rank outsider The Inferno will be out towards the rear of the field throughout.

Continue reading for HorseBetting’s top tips and $100 betting strategy for the 2024 William Reid Stakes

William Reid Stakes 2024 preview & form

Imperatriz gets back to her favourite track in Australia and gets conditions to suit. Having given Cylinder 6.5kg in the Newmarket Handicap, the weight tolled late on the superstar Kiwi. She was only defeated by 1.3 lengths on that day, and with the swing in the weights, she will have no issue turning the tables. She has won all four starts at The Valley and will look to walk away with the Moir Stakes, Manikato Stakes and William Reid Stakes all in the same season. Opie Bosson will have her settled behind the speed throughout, and unlike Mr Brightside in the All-Star Mile, Imperatriz should have no issue rounding up the leaders.

I Am Me chased Imperatriz home when finishing second behind the star mare in the Manikato Stakes (1200m) during the spring, before being beaten by a length in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m). The Ciaron Maher-trained sprinter boasts a strong first-up record, with three wins and a placing from four fresh starts. She will have a tactical advantage over Imperatriz, having drawn barrier two under Ben Melham. She will need a touch of luck behind some tiring leaders on the turn, but if anyone is to upset Imperatriz, I Am Me looks like the most likely candidate.

There is no doubt that Bella Nipotina is a better horse around a bend, and she is another set to prosper returning to Moonee Valley. With two wins and six runner-up finishes from nine runs at The Valley, she isn’t going to be far away when the whips are cracking. She maps to find the one-one from barrier three, and if she is anywhere near her best, she is another who can topple Imperatriz, considering she was beaten less then a length when the pair clashed at weight-for-age level in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m).

Barrier one for Cylinder means he’s an easy prospect to take on, but there is no doubt he is still a genuine chance if the breaks go his way at the right time. Outside of the four runners mentioned, it is hard to see how any of the others feature in the finish.