Timeform Australian SmartPlays: Moonee Valley, Friday, March 22

Gary has picked three bets at Moonee Valley

Moonee Valley's night racing season comes to a close with the great mare Black Caviar the headline act, coming on last in true rock-star style, as she steps out to no doubt win her second William Reid and 24th race overall...

The support acts are solid and provide the betting opportunities on the night for punters without the bank to be diving into the mare at the $1.07-$1.08 or Black Caviar odds as they are now typically known. 

Angelic Light was below form at Flemington last time but she gets back to the Valley in the third on the card (05:45) and it's around the tight turning Valley that she has best performed. She's a listed winner at the C&D and two starts backed pushed Group 1-winning filly Norzita in a Typhoon Tracy run in smart overall figures. On that performance she is no $6.50 shot here and it looks well worth chancing a return to form back to ideal conditions tonight. 

Alzora gunned down You're So Good in The Vanity, and has since run well again confirming that form, but the latter improved sharply for the step out to the mile last time, running second against the boys in the Guineas, and that piece of form has her well placed to turn the tables tonight. Alzora is also likely to be better placed going to the mile but has to take a good step forward to beat You're So Good now and further in favour of Nigel Blackiston's filly is the likely tempo of this event. There is very little early speed in the race on paper and from a wide draw You're So Good looks sure to roll forward and take advantage of that. A soft run up on the speed is going to make running her down a mighty tough task for those behind her.

It's hard to find a more reliable mare than Spirit Song and she comes into her Sunline Stakes defence in better form than she was last year. Her latest effort, a closing second at Flemington in what shapes as the key lead up to this, was under penalty and saw her come out clear top at the weights. She was right up to her best form there, equal to her Toorak placing in the spring, with her rating of 113 good enough to win every running of this race in the last decade. Looks a good gamble at better than $4.00. 

Australian Smart Plays:

Back Angelic Light in the 07:45
Back You're So Good in the 08:15
Back Spirit Song in the 09:20

If you can't contemplate defeat for Black Caviar, then why not play in the Winning Margin or the Without the Favourite markets?

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