Tonight Moonee Valley Racecourse lights up for William Reid Stakes 2015 night, a detailed form guide and betting preview for the evening’s Group 1 feature found below.

First-up flyer Rebel Dane is the early 2015 William Reid Stakes market mover for tonight’s Moonee Valley Group 1 showdown. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia.

Due to jump at 9:45pm (AEDT) as Moonee Valley Race 7, this year’s $400,000 Group 1 Brown Baldwin William Reid Stakes (1200m) features a final field of 14 hopefuls.

Two horses were sharing top spot in the William Reid Stakes odds at Ladbrokes.com.au with market mover Rebel Dane firming into an equal $5 top fancy with Angelic Light.

An absolute flyer first-up, the Gary Portelli-trained Rebel Dane however has eased out to $5.50, which is still shorter than his $6 opening odds.

The horse is out to break a lengthy winning drought with the now five-year-old California Dane stallion not having won a race since the 2013 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes.

He resumes racing here having last been seen running seventh to the world’s equal highest-rated sprinter Terravista in the Darley Classic in November, and has won three of his five previous first-up runs also finishing second and third in the other two.

Angelic Light meanwhile is also resuming here and has a strong record when resuming (4-1-1-2).

It is her outstanding form over the 1200m at Moonee Valley however that has the bookies taking no chances with her.

She has had five runs over the track and distance for two wins and two seconds, the latest of which saw her finish runner-up behind the heroic Lankan Rupee in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) here last October.

In a tight William Reid Stakes betting market the other single figure hopes are Vain Queen ($6.50) coming off a luckless first-up fourth in the Oakleigh Plate, last year’s Blue Diamond Stakes winning filly Earthquake ($7) and the rails-drawn Peron ($7.50) out to hand trainer Peter Moody with his third win in the race since 2011 following the dual success of Black Caviar (2011 and 2013).

So should your money be on the favourite this weekend or does the William Reid Stakes form guide and history reveal value in an upset tip tonight?

2015 William Reid Stakes Form Facts & Betting Stats

• Last year’s William Reid Stakes winner was the Tony Gollan-trained Spirit Of Boom who came off a Newmarket Handicap second and jumped from barrier eight (of 10) with Michael Rodd in the saddle
• A host of horses ran second in their lead-up runs this season including #11 Peron ($8) and #13 Earthquake ($7)
• The only last-start winner in the field is #9 Griante (Group 3 Wenona Girl Handicap (1200m), Randwick, 07/03/2015)
• Last year’s winning barrier (8) tonight belongs to #6 It Is Written ($31), which has produced two winners (since 1983)

• The most successful William Reid Stakes barrier in that time with a bumper seven wins is the inside alley, barrier one belonging this year to #11 Peron
• The next best barriers are then six (five wins), three (four wins) and five (four wins) which belong tonight to #14 Vezalay ($26), #13 Earthquake ($7) and #12 Galaxy Pegasus ($26) respectively
• Six-year-olds have won the past two editions of the race with Black Caviar (2013) and Spirit Of Boom (2014); 6YOs in the field this year looking to continue the trend are #2 Famous Seamus, #4 Fontelina and #6 It Is Written

• The wins of Black Caviar (2011 and 2013) mean mares have won four of the past 10 William Reid Stakes; the mares in the mix this year are #7 Angelic Light, #8 Vain Queen, #9 Griante, #10 Girl Guide and #11 Peron
• Three-year-olds have a strong record in the race with 12 wins since 1983; 3YOs out to add to that record this year are #12 Galaxy Pegasus, #13 Earthquake and #14 Vezalay
• Previous William Reid Stakes winning trainers with a runner in 2015 are: Peter Moody (8-2-2-1) with #11 Peron, Anthony Cummings (3-1-1-0) with #4 Fontelina, John Sadler (4-1-0-1) with #8 Vain Queen, David Hayes (10-1-1-1) with #10 Girl Guide and #12 Galaxy Pegasus, and John O’Shea (2-1-0-0) with #13 Earthquake
• Jockeys boasting a previous win in the race with a ride tonight are: Steven Arnold (9-2-1-1) with #9 Griante, Steven King (12-2-1-0) with #14 Vezalay, Glen Boss (4-1-1-0) with #5 Lucky Hussler and Damien Oliver (16-1-4-1) with #7 Angelic Light
• Favourites have won four editions of the race in the past decade with Black Caviar (2013) the most recent; this year’s favourite is #7 Angelic Light ($5)
• #8 Vain Queen (54%) boasts the highest Win Rate of the field followed by: #12 Galaxy Pegasus (50%), #13 Earthquake (45%) and #10 Girl Guide (43%)
• #13 Earthquake (82%) though has the best Place Rate followed by: #10 Girl Guide (795), #14 Vezalay (75%), #7 Angelic Light (69%) and #12 Galaxy Pegasus (67%)
• Over the distance (1200m) the horses with the best record are: #2 Famous Seamus (17-5-1-4), #1 Rebel Dane (11-3-1-2), #4 Fontelina (9-3-1-0), #5 Lucky Hussler (7-3-1-1), #6 It Is Written (27-8-3-4), #7 Angelic Light (9-3-3-1), #8 Vain Queen (4-2-0-0), #9 Griante (8-3-2-0), #10 Girl Guide (6-3-1-1), #11 Peron (5-2-1-0) and #13 Earthquake (6-3-1-1)

• At the track the best performers are: #7 Angelic Light (7-3-2-1), #3 Bel Sprinter (5-2-0-0), #6 It Is Written (19-7-3-3), #8 Vain Queen (1-1-0-0), #12 Galaxy Pegasus (1-1-0-0) and #10 Girl Guide (2-1-1-0)
• Previous winners over the track and distance are then: #6 It Is Written (17-7-3-3), #7 Angelic Light (5-2-2-0), #8 Vain Queen (1-1-0-0), #10 Girl Guide (1-1-0-0) and #12 Galaxy Pegasus (1-1-0-0)

Stay tuned to Races.com.au for our insider William Reid Stakes 2015 betting tips up shortly.

In the meantime, use the above facts and below form guide to make your own selections and lock them in at the best price online at Ladbrokes.com.au!

2015 William Reid Stakes Form Guide