Canterbury preview: Ciaron Maher and David Eustace eye big finish to successful Sydney campaign

Melbourne’s leading stable Ciaron Maher and David Eustace have some top chances at Canterbury on Wednesday.

Training partners David Eustace and Ciaron Maher are enjoying their best season in Sydney. Picture: Getty Images

Ciaron Maher and David Eustace have enjoyed their best season in Sydney and can finish off with a bang when they head into the penultimate metropolitan meeting at Canterbury with several leading chances.

The pair can strike early in the day with There There and Capzinzi in the Schweppes Handicap for maidens over 1200m.

There There raced behind the leader and got clear inside the final 300m before finishing a half-neck second behind Pereille when resuming over 1150m on the Kensington track on July 5.

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The daughter of I Am Invincible had placed at each of her three starts in her first campaign in Victoria.

“We hope the blinkers will make the difference this time,” Eustace said.

“She is a filly that has always shown us ability but she has been a little bit frustrating having placed in all four starts but just not quite getting there.

“Hopefully she can get the job done on Wednesday.

“She has come back stronger this time in. These Vinny (I Am Invincible) fillies get better and better as they get older.

“She likes being on top of the ground so thankfully that is working in our favour with the dry winter we are having so far.”

Capzinzi was well supported on debut on the Kensington track but she settled well back before finishing seventh behind all-the-way winner Sicilian.

Eustace was disappointed the run, however.

“Her closing sectionals were pretty good,” he said.

“She got a little bit lost so she will have taken great benefit from that and we are expecting an improved effort from her this week.

“She has shown us that she does have ability.”

There There can break through for her first win at Canterbury on Wednesday. Picture: Bradley Photos

Anyone who has seen the barrier trial of Pink Cashmere at Randwick recently would have suitably impressed.

After racing back along the rails, the three-year-old was eased to the outside and flashed home over the last 100m to beat Kalino and Eyeque.

“It was a nice trial and she is going well,” Eustace said.

“She certainly has got the ability to run very well first-up and we expect her to do so.”

The filly scored a debut win by over four lengths on the synthetic track at Ballarat last October before a handy fifth at The Valley eight weeks later.

“To be honest, it’s hard to take much out of a win on the synthetic which as a rule, doesn’t stand up.

“We were more taken by her trial which was good. She has definitely improved physically so that is obviously pleasing.

“We have always thought she is a filly with some real promise.”

Southern Chilli is another filly looking to claim a final three-year-old win.

The daughter of Al Maher raced back and wide before working home nicely to finish a 1½-length second behind Coriolis at Sandown-Lakeside on July 12.

“It was a really good performance. She got back and made a lot of ground up to finish second,” he said.

“She is deep into her preparation and is two weeks between runs with the travel up to Sydney which is something that isn’t common.

“However, she has got a good base and a good constitution so we thought it was a good opportunity for her.”

Sir Bailey has taken good improvement from his sixth at Sandown three weeks ago and Eustace is looking for him to progress from that.

“We were happy enough with his last run. He went into the race a bit big and he has definitely taken good benefit from that,” he said.

“What he has been looking for is dry ground so we’re hopeful that will turn him around.”

Howlett’s gelding take ‘big step’

Tanglewood has created a big impression with his two wins to starts his campaign but trainer Todd Howlett refuses to get too far ahead of himself as he prepares to test the gelding in midweek grade at Canterbury.

The three-year-old won his Beaumont barrier trial by over four lengths then went to Taree for his first run back and blitzed his rivals by a widening 5½ lengths over 1007m.

He then went to a Class 1 over 1006m at Grafton on South Grafton Cup day, and after racing outside the leader, strode away to score by nearly four lengths under 61kg.

On Wednesday, he steps up 1100m in the Benchmark 64 where he has 61.5kg.

“I am very pleased with how he has come back this preparation and how he has won both of his starts,” Howlett said.

“This is a big step he is taking on Wednesday. It’s not an easy assignment going from country wins to midweek city grade and he has plenty of weight to carry.

“It’s definitely not an easy step to take but I am very happy with how he has come through his last win.”

Howlett said the son of Smart Missile is still a work in progress who can still get a little on edge, so he is reluctant to make any plans for the gelding just yet.

“He is a really nice horse and I don’t know what his top is just yet. Hopefully he can just keep improving,” he said.

“I will just take it one run at a time and see how far we go with him this time in.”

Stablemate Two Big Fari had a tough run in the South Grafton Cup last start which Howlett said was a run to forget and feels the gelding is well placed in the Benchmark 72 Handicap over 1550m on Wednesday.

Prior to that, he was a 1½-length sixth to Garrison at Rosehill when resuming on June 17.

“It was a complete forget run last start. Grafton is a big turning track and he was out wide on the speed,” he said.

“He was good first-up at Rosehill but that’s him, he always tries.

“This looks a suitable race for him and he gets in pretty well with Madeline’s claim.”