Oak Hill out to stretch Valley record in the Carlyon Stakes 2025

Oak Hill will bid to keep his perfect Moonee Valley record intact when he lines up in Saturday’s Listed Carlyon Stakes (1000m), with Mark Zahra stepping in for the suspended Blake Shinn.

The six-year-old sprinter has flourished since joining Lindsay Park, winning twice from as many starts for Ben, Will and JD Hayes, including a commanding first-up success at The Valley earlier this month. Already boasting four wins from five outings at the circuit, Oak Hill now gets the chance to secure his first black type victory.

Lindsay Park last won the Carlyon in 2018 with Faatinah, while Zahra will be chasing his first win in the race since it attained stakes status in 2011. The gelding, formerly trained by Mike Moroney and Glen Thompson, also scored at Caulfield in May before switching camps.

His only prior attempt at stakes level came in the Bob Hoysted Stakes (1000m) at Flemington in March, followed by a runner-up finish to Midwest in the Country Discovery (1000m) at Echuca.

Trainer Ben Hayes believes another strong performance could earn Oak Hill a shot at the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) in September. “We took him back to the farm after his win and he’s done some nice work. He’s fresh, sharp, and has an excellent record at The Valley. I think he deserves his chance to step up,” Hayes said.

Saturday’s Carlyon also features Mornington Glory, who completed a Valley treble at the corresponding meeting last year, but Oak Hill looms as the horse to beat given his affinity for the track.

Fans can back Oak Hill to extend his Valley dominance in the Carlyon Stakes, with odds available now via Australia’s top betting sites.