Racing
A Closer Look – Esha in the deep end
Esha will step into rare territory in this weekend’s Moir Stakes.
Esha's place in this Saturday's Moir Stakes is now secure, following the scratching of Tiger Shark, and the unbeaten filly will enter rare territory just by starting.
The Shane Nichols and Hayden Black-trained three-year-old will become only the ninth horse in the past 35 years to contest an open-age Group 1 at just their third start in the $750,000 sprint at Moonee Valley.
The most recent was two-year-old filly Jedastar, who ran last in the 2019 Black Caviar Lightning, and the two before her – Timuana (2007 Chipping Norton Stks) and Aliana (2004 Lightning) – also trailed the field home.
The performances of most who have attempted the feat underline just how good Redoute's Choice was.
He had his third start in the 1999 Manikato Stakes, when it was run in mid-August, and stomped home by 1-1/2 lengths.
Clever Zoe, who ran second to Schillaci as a two-year-old in the 1993 Lightning, is the only other to place, with Civil, who ran fourth in the 2003 Manikato Stakes, the only other to finish better than ninth.
One thing Esha, who was first emergency for the Moir Stakes when the final field was drawn, does have in common with Redoute's Choice is that she heads into her first open-age Group 1 test unbeaten.
The daughter of Extreme Choice, who is a grandson of Redoute's Choice, thrashed her rivals on debut at Morphettville before a similarly-emphatic win at The Valley on August 9.
She could be a beneficiary of the Moir Stakes moving to the first weekend in September, which it did last year.
From its inception, in 1976, until 2011 the Moir Stakes was the feature sprint on Cox Plate Day, run over 1000m until 2006 before switching to 1200m.
The race moved to the last weekend in September in 2012, attained Group 1 status the following year and had two Group 1 editions at 1200m before reverting to a 1000m event in 2015.
The drop in distance seems to have put it back on the radar as a target for three-year-old fillies.
Not one of the eight Moir Stakes run at 1200m contained a filly.
Seven have run since it reverted to 1000m for two wins – She Will Reign (2017) and Coolangatta (2022) – while Hayasugi and Lady Of Camelot filled the minor placings last year.
Four fillies won it in its first stretch as a 1000m race; Special (1986), Scarlet Bisque (1988), With Me (1990) and Virage De Fortune (2005).
Esha is not the only filly in this year's Moir with New Zealand Group 1 winner La Dorada to have her first Australian start in the race.
Horses to run in a G1 at their third start (since 1990)
Redoute's Choice 1st 1999 Manikato Stakes
Clever Zoe 2nd 1993 Lightning Stakes
Civil 4th 2003 Manikato Stakes
Rosso Verde 9th 1990 Lightning Stakes
Gold Again 10th 2000 Oakleigh Plate
Timuana 10th 2007 Chipping Norton Stakes
Jedastar 11th 2019 Lightning Stakes
Aliana 12th 2004 Lightning Stakes
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