Esha's emergency plans for Moir Stakes

Unbeaten filly Esha has hit a Group 1 roadblock after being named the sole emergency for Saturday’s Moir Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley.

The Shane Nichols trained three-year-old was squeezed out of the final 15-horse line-up when acceptances closed on Tuesday for the $750,000 weight-for-age sprint. The Moir has not attracted a full field since Nature Strip’s win in 2019.

Despite the setback, Nichols remains confident in Esha’s talent and confirmed alternate plans are in place.

“Whether she gets a run or not Saturday, I think she’s a pretty nice filly,” Nichols told racing.com. “If she goes back to three-year-old grade in the Atlantic Jewel or the Cap D’Antibes, she is going to be competitive.”

A $900,000 yearling by Extreme Choice out of Nichols’ former Group 1-winning mare I Am A Star, Esha has looked every bit a potential star in her two starts after winning on debut in Adelaide in May and following up with an all-the-way victory at The Valley on August 9.

Esha was one of only two three-year-olds to accept for the Moir, alongside New Zealand’s La Dorada.

While connections await a potential scratching to see if Esha gains a run in the Moir, attention now shifts to her likely participation in the Atlantic Jewel Stakes (1200m) this Saturday or the Cap D’Antibes Stakes at Flemington the following weekend.