Buffering is back chasing a record fourth win in the Moir Stakes 2016 this Friday night at Moonee Valley Racecourse.

Three-time Moir Stakes winner Buffering is back in 2016 aiming for a fourth win in the Moonee Valley sprint on Friday night. Photo: Steve Hart.

Robert Heathcote’s Brisbane-based warhorse has won three of the past four editions of the $500,000 Group 1 City Jeep Moir Stakes (1000m) including back-to-back wins in 2014 and 2015.

He hasn’t raced since a disappointing last in Hong Kong behind fellow Aussie sprint sensation Chautauqua in the Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint (1200m) in May.

The seven-time Group 1 winner however has been working brilliantly ahead of his return to Moonee Valley where he has a stellar record (11-5-1-1) and will be out to continue his incredible fresh form (12-9-1-1).

Buffering is undefeated at the track / distance and is out to become just the second nine-year-old Moir Stakes winner in the past 30 plus years along with Bomber Bill (2004).

The A.J. Moir Stakes attracted 12 nominations this Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.

Futures Moir Stakes betting on the dozen early entries at Ladbrokes.com.au has Buffering at a current quote of $8.50 to make history with his fourth win in the weight-for-age classic.

The all-in Moir Stakes odds are firmly led by Buffering’s last start conqueror at Sha Tin, the Hawkes Racing-trained $6.5 million earner Chautauqua ($2.50).

The five-time winning Encosta De Lago six-year-old is yet to run in a Moir Stakes field, but has won both of his previous Moonee Valley wins to date including last year’s Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m).

He is also two-from-two over the 1000m and, like Buffering, has an outstanding first-up record (6-5-1-0).

Last year’s Moir Stakes runner-up Ball Of Muscle is also back for another shot at the title.

Joe Pride saddles-up the Sydney raider who comes off an excellent first-up second at Randwick on September 17 behind Takedown in the Group 2 The Shorts (1100m).

It has been a long time between drinks for Ball Of Muscle however who hasn’t won a race since the Group 2 QTC Cup (1200m) in Brisbane back in May of 2015.

The last three-year-old Moir Stakes winner was the filly Virage De Fortune (2005) and this year the only youngster in the mix is the Mick Price-trained Extreme Choice.

He won the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) as a two-year-old in the autumn, but the Not A Single Doubt colt hasn’t raced since the eighth behind Capitalist in the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m).

Boasting the fitness edge meanwhile are the likes of the Mark Kavanagh-trained mare Wild Rain and the Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Redzel who both chase their third win on the trot.

Manhattan Rain five-year-old Wild Rain won the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) in the winter before a nice first-up victory at Moonee Valley on September 3 in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1000m).

Redzel meanwhile comes off a win in the Group 3 The Heath (1100m) at Caulfield from late August, which followed a 1100m success at Canterbury in late July.

The last mare to win the Moir Stakes was Samaready (2013) and along with Wild Rain the other mares in the mix this year are the Ciaron Maher-trained Chloe In Paris and Heatherly.

Prepared by Mathew Ellerton & Simona Zahra, Lonhro four-year-old Heatherly is in flying form and loves the Moonee Valley track (5-3-0-2).

She won here in Black-Type company in her first run since the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1000m) third to Flamberge in February before a third to Wild Rain in the McEwen last start.

See below for the full Moir Stakes 2016 nominations, the field and barriers set for release on Wednesday.

All-in Moir Stakes betting is also now open at Ladbrokes.com.au so make sure you check out the generous pre-field prices on your sprint favourites!

2016 Moir Stakes Nominations

Moonee Valley Racecourse – 30/09/2016