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2023 03 25

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Moonee Valley Racing Club respectfully acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of this land – the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people of the Kulin Nation – and pays our respects to its Elders past, present, and emerging.

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New Zealand mare Imperatriz stamped herself as being in the top bracket of Australasian sprinters with victory in the 3 Point Motors Group 1 William Reid Stakes on the Night Racing Season Finale card at The Valley. 

Impressive Kiwi Imperatriz all class in William Reid Stakes win

New Zealand mare Imperatriz stamped herself as being in the top bracket of Australasian sprinters with victory in the 3 Point Motors Group 1 William Reid Stakes on the Night Racing Season Finale card at The Valley.&nbsp;Her quality was already well known across the ditch, having collected four Group Ones back home, and she went very close in her first attempt in Australia last start when only caught late by Artorius.&nbsp;There was no denying her this time, with Imperatriz responding to the challenge thrown down by Bella Nipotina in the straight to score by a length.&nbsp;Her record now stands at an incredible 13 wins from 19 starts for trainer Mark Walker and has only finished outside the top four on one occasion.&nbsp;Ridden by Opie Bosson, Imperatriz settled midfield with a back to follow, before making her run a long way from home.&nbsp;“She’s just been trouble free this preparation. It was a fantastic ride of Opie’s as well, he just timed it perfectly,” Walker said.&nbsp;“We had to make a long-sustained run, so full credit to the mare, she’s a beauty.”Bella Nipotina ran another top race at The Valley for second, with Roch ‘N’ Horse a further 1 ¼ lengths away in third.&nbsp;&nbsp;It was all about Sirileo Miss in the BMD Group Sunline Stakes at Group Two level, with the Symon Wilde mare winning her second straight race by a big margin.&nbsp;Coming off a 3 ¾ length victory at Flemington, Sirileo Miss put 5 ½ lengths on her rivals this time, with Revolutionary Miss and Deny Knowledge fighting out the minor placing in the neighboring postcode.&nbsp;The Ladbrokes 55 Second Challenge Final was taken out by Unflinching, making it three straight at The Valley for the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained gelding.The winning time of 56.23 however on the Soft 5 track didn’t get close to knocking Mutinous off the top of the leaderboard for the quickest time of the Ladbrokes Friday Night Lights Season.&nbsp;Mutinous recorded a time of 54.93 back on December 2, and that performance has pocketed $55,000 for his trainer Enver Jusufovic.&nbsp;“Seeing the way the track conditions were today, I was quietly confident that they weren’t going to be able to beat the horse, but it’s anxious leading up to it,” Jusufovic said.&nbsp;Another highlight of the evening was the return of the Exhibition Pony Race to The Valley, with the event held by Thoroughbred Industry Careers with Pony Club Australia.&nbsp;Clara Greenwood who partnered pony Pedro sped through along the inside to claim the race in the familiar maroon, yellow and white skills of Frank and Christine Cook.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Pony Race had a remarkable tie-in with a former 3 Points Motors William Reid Stakes winner.&nbsp;Rider Lexie O’Brien’s Great Grandfather owned 1978 William Reid Stakes winner Family Of Man.The George Hanlon-trained galloper had great versatility, having also won the Ladbrokes Cox Plate the previous year.Another rider, Ruby Blackshaw, is the granddaughter of champion jockey Kevin Langby, and we may have very well been witnessing the stars of the future as the youngsters from Pony Clubs right across Victoria got the opportunity to ride on a big night at The Valley.With the curtain falling on the Night Racing Season, The Valley now takes a break, with the next meeting in July.&nbsp;

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Impressive Kiwi Imperatriz all class in William Reid Stakes win

​Impressive Kiwi Imperatriz all class in William Reid Stakes win | The Valley

Impressive Kiwi Imperatriz all class in William Reid Stakes win | The Valley