Manikato Stakes 2024 Group 1 preview & best bets | September 27

Wandering Eyes · September 25

What	2024 Manikato Stakes
Where	Moonee Valley Racecourse – Melbourne, Victoria
When	Friday, September 27, 2024
Prizemoney	$2,000,000
Distance	1200m
Conditions	Weight For Age
2023 winner	Imperatriz (4) \| T: Mark Walker \| J: Opie Bosson (56.5kg)
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The 56th running of the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) headlines what is a stacked eight-race meeting at Moonee Valley on Friday night. A near-capacity field of 13 will jump in the hunt for $2 million, and with five previous Group 1 winners in the field, this is not a contest for the faint-hearted. Can I Wish I Win snare another victory at the highest level? Will the three-year-olds measure up in a weight-for-age sprint? Or is there a massive upset brewing?

2024 Manikato Stakes odds

After an eye-catching run first-up, I Wish I Win heads the Manikato Stakes betting at $4 with horse racing bookmakers. Untapped three-year-old Growing Empire holds the third line of betting at $4.50, while Group 1-winning filly Hayasugi ($5) will be looking to further enhance her record. Estriella has drifted from $5 out to $7.50 following the barrier draw, while Veight ($11) is the best of the rest, with the remainder of the field at $14 or longer.

2024 Manikato Stakes speed map

Remarkably, this year’s Manikato may not be run at breakneck speed. Recommendation will likely use his race fitness to his advantage and take up the running, while Estriella will look to come from barrier 12 and settle outside lead. Veight and Growing Empire look like assuming the stalking role. Interestingly, two of the key market hopes in Hayasugi and I Wish I Win will be looking to loop the field from the rear, so a race dominated by on-pace runners may not suit them.

Continue reading for HorseBetting’s top selections and $100 betting strategy for the 2024 Manikato Stakes.

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Manikato Stakes 2024 preview & form

The Clinton McDonald-trained Hayasugi caught everyone’s eye when storming into second in the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) and was arguably going better than I Wish I Win through the line. She is already a Group 1 winner as a juvenile over 1200m, and outside of a complete forgive run in the Golden Slipper (1200m), she has hardly run a poor race. Carrying just 50kg with Jamie Kah on board, Hayasugi looks every chance of becoming the first three-year-old since Loving Gaby in 2019 to win the Manikato Stakes.

Growing Empire has won four of his first five starts, but it is his two wins this campaign that have him right in the mix as he steps into weight-for-age company. In both the Group 3 McNeil Stakes (1200m) and the Listed Poseidon Stakes (1100m), he produced a stunning turn of foot to burn off his rivals. Craig Williams takes the reins with 52kg, and even if he is caught three wide with no cover from barrier six, class alone will take Growing Empire deep into this.

I Wish I Win is the best-credentialled runner in the field and impressed on return in the Moir Stakes. He will need the track to be playing fairly to feature in the finish, as he will be at the rear of the field from barrier 12. His turn of foot is up there with the best in the country when on song, and if he can get a nice tow into the race, I Wish I Win will be rattling home inside the final 100m.

Outside of the obvious top three, it is anyone’s guess as to who fills the fourth spot. Estriella is awkwardly drawn out wide, Recommendation has been impressive in weaker races, while Chain Of Lightning will need a downpour to feature.

Manikato Stakes 2024 selections & best bets

Selections: