Carlyone Stakes Moonee Valley Tips Preview

Carlyon Stakes at Moonee Valley: tips and preview

CARLYON STAKES - 1000m, Moonee Valley R8

While the Carlyon Stakes at Moonee Valley this weekend is unlikely to the be the highlight race of the spring carnival when racing fans look back in three months time, it has brought together a very evenly matched field, and a tricky contest in which to find the winner.

The key form race comes from this track and distance two weeks ago, where half a length split Sweet Ride, Omni Man, Acromantula and Ashford Street over the line.

That race was a handicap, while this event will be run under the set weights penalties format. As such, Acromantula is by far the most advantaged from the conditions, meeting Sweet Ride 5.5kg’s better for that narrow defeat, and the other two horses 3.5kg’s better too. He also gets Craig Williams onboard, a perfect barrier, and if we look back at his Perth form earlier this year he was mixing it with high class horses like Amelia’s Jewel and Red Can Man.

Omni Man might have been a bit unlucky in that race and does have a fantastic winning record, but Sweet Ride is ever-consistent and deserved his win.

Generation has been a disappointing horse over the last 18 months, which is unusual for a Maher/Eustace galloper. He hasn’t won since February 2022, and while he has put in a good run in the occasional Group 1 or popped up for a placing every now and then, he’s hard to get a line on. Perhaps this will be the preparation when the penny drops.

Express Pass looks a good hope at big odds, despite only having raced once in the last 14 months. He’s a bit of a first-up flyer and has form at the Valley. He claimed the scalp of Bella Nipotina when first-up here back in 2021, and also ran a slashing third to Malkovich and Brooklyn Hustle upon resumption one day. If he’s fit enough and been prepared to run somewhere near his peak, he’ll be in the game.

Hypothetical might not be one to sleep on either. Form around horses like Zapateo and Snapped can be competitive in a race like this, and it can’t be underestimated how much horses can improve from their four-year-old season after turning five.

Snapper is also first-up, having last been seen beaten a long way when severely outclassed in the Newmarket Handicap. He loves the Valley more than most, but is seen as more of a 1200m horse than the 1000m that this race demands.

There is plenty of speed engaged in this race, and they may go like cut cats throughout. Acromantula should be the horse to beat if he can get the lead and a breather at some stage, but Express Pass and Omni Man will be finishing hard.

Selections: 1.Acromantula 2.Express Pass 3.Omni Man 4.Hypothetical