Skip to main content
Race.com.au
Moonee Valley racecourse

VIC Β· Thoroughbred Racing

πŸ‡ Moonee Valley

Circumference
1805m
Home Straight
173m (shortest of metro tracks)
Direction
Anti-clockwise
Established
1883

About Moonee Valley

Moonee Valley β€” 'The Valley' β€” is the smallest and tightest of Australia's metropolitan circuits, and that intimacy is exactly its charm. The 1805-metre circumference with a home straight of just 173 metres produces famously grinding races where position in running is everything; horses trapped wide or back in the field are rarely seen again.

The Valley is the home of the Cox Plate, weight-for-age championship of Australasia, and its famous night meetings under lights have made Friday-night racing a Melbourne institution. Inside barriers are gold here, and trainers often target specialists β€” horses who handle the tight turning circuit and short straight. A complete redevelopment of the course is planned, so enjoy the old amphitheatre while it stands.

Today at Moonee Valley

All meetings

No meeting scheduled at Moonee Valley today β€” check the racing today page for all upcoming meetings.

Feature Races at Moonee Valley

How to attack the Moonee Valley card

  1. 1

    Read the track bias first

    At Moonee Valley, the barrier draw and prevailing pattern decide more races than class does. Check the condition and the first race before locking in any early plays.

  2. 2

    Shop every price

    Fixed odds move all day. The best available price on each runner is tracked live on our odds comparison β€” taking top-flash instead of SP compounds into serious bankroll over a season.

  3. 3

    Stress-test your best bet

    Before you commit, run the race past Racebot β€” our AI analyst rates every runner on form, market and barrier for free.

More VIC tracks

All Australian racecourses

Moonee Valley FAQs

Why is Moonee Valley so hard for backmarkers?β€Ί

The Valley has the shortest home straight of any Australian metro track at just 173 metres after a tight turn. Horses more than a few lengths off the lead at the top of the straight rarely have room to wind up, which is why on-pace runners dominate the statistics.

When is the Cox Plate held at Moonee Valley?β€Ί

The Cox Plate is run over 2040 metres at weight-for-age on a Saturday night in late October during Melbourne's spring carnival, under lights at The Valley.

Do inside barriers matter at Moonee Valley?β€Ί

More than at any other metro track. With the short straight and tight turns, barriers 1–4 are a significant statistical advantage, especially in fields of 10 or more.