FEATURE PREVIEWS: CANTERBURY STAKES

Group 1 | No class restriction, Standard Weight for Age, Three-Years-Old and Upwards | $750,000 | Rail: +3m | Track Conditions: Soft 6

0-30mm forecast across the days leading in to this and the Saturday race day itself. Should be on a rain affected surface, but to what extend is to be determined.

Group 1 race over 1300m for the open age sprinters. Mares have a great recent record in the race, winning 8 of the last 15 and three of the last four. It is also a race for those in the market.

1st up (4), 2nd up (4), 3rd up (4)

7-day break (2), 19-21 day break (4), 35 day break (2), 119 day break (2), 147-209 day break (2)

Leader (4), Settled 2nd-3rd (4), Settled 5th-10th (3)

Barrier 1 (3), Barrier 3 (1), Barrier 6-10 (8)

Geldings (3), Mares (5), Horses (2), Colts (2)

3yo (2), 4yo (5), 5yo (3), 6yo (1) 7yo (1)

Lady Laguna produced a boilover of sorts last year with a $16 Betfair Starting Price. After commission this represented a 20% price advantage over best tote, meaning you’d be $40 better off for a $10 outlay.

Artorius was another double digit winner in 2023, getting it done with the $11 BSP.  This was about 1.3% better than the corporate average.

Forbidden Love won the race as favourite in 2022, saluting at $2.36 with a minor advantage evident.

Average tempo expected. HERE TO SHOCK has speed but whether they want to lead from an inside barrier will be the question. ROYAL PATRONAGE can roll forward first-up from a wide barrier, likely following PERICLES across.

Absolutely brilliant race and plenty of angles. Suspect the track will play fair and you will be able to make ground down the middle but how much rain we get will be a huge key to this race. If they are making ground, that will assist both #9 SUNSHINE IN PARIS and #11 STEFI MAGNETICA who are both first up and likely to be back in the field. It is amazing to think that #11 STEFI MAGNETICA has only won the three races, one at Wellington and one at Orange. Because of that, she is a hard horse to back with confidence. That said, she is arguably the best horse in a yard that is absolutely airborne at the moment in Bjorn Baker. Trialled up very nicely and has the ability to finish over the top of them. Leaning to #9 SUNSHINE IN PARIS though who has a brilliant career record, winning 6 of 13 and a brilliant first-up record winning 3 of 4. She is a brilliant mare who comes off a Group 1 win down the straight last time we saw her. Tipping she will be hard to hold out late but if it is Heavy, then that changes things. #10 MAGIC TIME won the lead up and has a 6 length victory over SUNSHINE IN PARIS on a Heavy 10 when winning the All Aged in Autumn last year. Nothing wrong with the Expressway win in an absolute walking race.
The 3YO #12 SWITZERLAND adds a lot of interest. Started favourite in a Group 1 Lightning down the straight last time and wasn’t beaten far with excuses.
#2 HERE TO SHOCK is probably underrated. He has won 13 of 36 and 4 of his last 5, including a $1.5M Alan Brown stakes in Sydney in the spring. He puts himself into his races and should get a nice run in transit from barrier 2 with Nash sticking. Dominant winner in New Zealand last start and the form has been franked somewhat with the 3YO who ran third, running a good second in the Guineas on Saturday at Flemington.
#1 CEOLWULF was scratched from last Saturdays’ Verry Elleegant Stakes due to a minor abrasion to the front of his off-hind cannon. Back to 1300m with the three weeks between runs isn’t what the stable had planned for him but he should cope with that okay. Worth noting that he is yet to win below 1300m. Barrier 1 looks very tricky for him also, likely relying on luck with Hyeronimous jumping on.

9. Sunshine In Paris
11. Stefi Magnetica
12. Switzerland
10. Magic Time

Track condition going to have be crucial and it is hard to predict this far out. We have #9 SUNSHINE IN PARIS on top at this stage but follow The Trial Files on the Betfair App to receive all the late mail.