Moonee Valley's two-day carnival centres around Winx and her quest for a fourth Cox Plate but there are 17 other terrific betting contests over the two days and that is where The Melbourne Mail is focused.
Our best comes up early in proceedings with the Darren Weir-trained Iconoclasm looking mighty hard to beat in race three tonight.
He got the run of things at Caulfield last time, and perhaps a case can be made that Sircconi could have given him plenty to think about with clear running, but there is nothing wrong with that form (Sircconi has since won well) and it is worth noting that Iconoclasm arrived there off a little setback.
We're tipping there is plenty more to come and his ratings over the winter, where he strung three wins together, point to him having a bigger shot in his locker.
Tonight he looks to land in the first couple and that likely headstart on key rival Widgee Turf can prove decisive. Widgee is capable of running him down on his best figures but can't get away with being far from them if Iconoclasm runs the race we fancy he will.
There's will be plenty of action between out best and our best each way which comes all the way to race 17 for the weekend, the last on Saturday, the Vase.
Here Dealmaker looks worth keeping on side coming off a Spring Champion run which he went into a off a setback of his own.
Given that, tactics were conservative, but he ran well and his form around Aramayo early in the prep stamps him as being as talented as any in this field. His Stan Fox run was an absolute cracker and if he can get back to that level now they will do well to go with him.
THE MELBOURNE MAIL
Bet Of The Day: Friday Race 3 #3 Iconoclasm @ $2.20
Each Way Play: Saturday Race 10 #4 Dealmaker @ $8.00
