Just minutes after brilliant sprinting mare Pippie had led throughout to win the Oakleigh Plate, co-trainer Chris Meagher mentioned that the Moir Stakes would be foremost in their thoughts for the spring.
That will come to fruition when the five-year-old takes her place in the Moonee Valley Group One Moir Stakes over 1000 metres on Friday night.
Meagher said Pippie’s two easy trial wins at Mornington indicated that she was going as well as ever.
He pointed out that her first jump out was on a heavy track which didn’t suit her and if the Valley came up as a heavy 10 they might look at saving her for the Schillaci Stakes next month at Caulfield.
Pippie is undefeated in three first-up runs and Meagher believes she’s on track to defend that record.
“It’s a good field with fast horses but she’s ready to go. We’ll use her speed from barrier five,” Meagher said.
Meagher said Damian Lane had been riding Pippie in her jump outs and would partner her on Friday.
“If a horse wants to lead up that’s up to them but they’ll have to be running around 10 seconds for the 200 metres to do so,” he said.
Pippie has had three starts on soft tracks for two wins and a second to top-class mare Tofane at Flemington last spring
Amazingly, it will be the flying mare’s third start at 1000 metres, a statistic Meagher says has been by accident and not design.
Pippie hasn’t raced over the distance since placing at Moonee Valley at her second start in 2018.
The mare’s only other run at the track yielded a fourth to Loving Gaby in the William Reid Stakes earlier this year.
