Newitt upbeat about Samaready’s chances in Moir Stakes

Jockey Craig Newitt is upbeat about Blue Diamond  winner Samaready’s chances in Friday night’s Group 1 $450,000 Programmed Moir Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley after producing a winning gallop there this morning.

Samaready

Samaready winning at Caulfield first up. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

The in-form Newitt said that Samaready felt terrific and has improved since winning first up in the Group 3 $135,000 The Shark.com.au Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on August 31.

“She went enormous, she is going really good,” Newitt told Racing Network.

“Her work this morning was just super. She has made really good improvement from her first-up run, it’s just match fitness given she had such a long time off.

“She looks so much better through the coat and she feels better underneath me with the benefit of that run.”

The Moir Stakes is living up to its elevation to Group 1 status for the first time this year with star studded group of speedsters ready to line up for the weight for age feature sprint.

The Robert Heathcote trained Buffering, who is still searching for his first Group 1 win, won the Moir last year but will find the opposition tougher this time around coming up against several Group 1 winners.

Bel Sprinter with Damien Oliver, who is sitting on ninety-seven Group 1 wins, is having his first run since finishing second to Lucky Nine in the Group 1 S$1m Krisflyer International Sprint (1200m) at Singapore on May 19.

The Jason Warren trained six year old has a perfect first up record of five from five and will certainly be one of the hardest to beat after breaking through for his initial Group 1 win in the Autumn beating Snitzerland in the  Group 1 $350,000 Canterbury BMW Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill.

Snitzerland is also first up in the Moir and also boasts a good first up record of three from four.

The Snitzel mare hasn’t started since finishing seventh as the odds on favourite in the Group 1 $400,000 Sportingbet Classic (1200m) at Morphettville in April but has shown in the past that a Group 1 win isn’t far away.

As well as finishing 2nd in the Galaxy, Snitzerland ran second to mighty Pierro in the 2012 Group 1 $3.5m AAMI Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill.

Other notable Group 1 winners nominated are Moment Of Change from the Peter Moody stable, Red Tracer from the all-conquering Chris Waller stable and Doomben 10,000 winner Epaulette representing Darley.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.