Sydney: Comprehensive preview of every race at Canterbury

A COMPREHENSIVE preview of every race for Saturday’s meeting at Canterbury with Shayne O’Cass.

Felines. Picture: Simon Bullard.

NOTE: RACES are assessed for a Heavy 8. All horses are considered starters unless notified by Thursday at 1 PM. (N/R) denotes no rating.

RACE 1

GOOD race. Amazing to think that half of the 14 acceptors are last start winners, three of those are unbeaten. While we must acknowledge the presence of some really lovely colts, I am with the filly here in the shape of Chris Waller’s 8. SEVENTHCHIC (N/R). She is one of about 7 runners for her father, Seventh Reason, who was a $2m yearling at the Magic Millions Sale and now stands in Tasmania. You can read more about him in the Breeder’s Guide today; he is terribly interesting — no dud after all it seems! As for this filly, she was super on debut at Gosford going down narrowly from the back. She then came from of the pace again, this time to win on a heavy 8 here so that’s two boxes ticked. These three colts at the top of the order are all very promising. They are unbeaten at present, 3. DECORATED SOLDIER (N/R) one for one, 1. THRONUM (N/R) has done it twice while 2. TANGO RAIN (N/R) is a track winner. Massive respect to all of them — I guess one little point of interest vis-a-vie the wet track, Decorated Solider has a double cross of Canny Lad and Lunchtime and I venture to say there haven’t been many better wet-track sires than either of them.

RACE 2

WE spoke to Robert Price this week for a preview of his runners travelling up from his Nowra base where he has a magnificent property. Price was rather bullish about all four of them, so much so, that I ended up putting three of them on top in their respective races and even went as far as to make 12. DYLAN’S DYNASTY (57) a special/best bet. This son of Arc winner Dylan Thomas can be his own worst enemy at times but at his best — and he would need to be — he is quite up to winning a Highway Handicap and Price should know, he has a good record when he sets one for a Highway. Barrier 12 of 12 isn’t ideal I admit but who knows where the best ground may be. He handles soft/heavy and has no weight — none at all really down there on 53.5kgs. 1. OCEAN GRAND (73) is the best horse in the race and that is borne out by his rating — he being the only one in the 70s, the next best pair being on 62. Ocean Grand is first-up here on the heavy/soft but he was an impressive trial winner at Coffs on Jun. 24. He has a Highway win under the belt beating Clearly Innocent no less and he should be 2s 2w at the track don’t worry about that! 11. LOYAL TOAST (50) has won twice only from 30 starts at 1600m and 1800m but I fancy he might be the one with the fastest last sectionals here; he’s got a huge finish and could run over the top of them at generous odds.

RACE 3

WELCOME back 6. CANNYESCENT (69) — if he is here that is! he may not run on heavy and be saved for next weekend so as not to gut him first-up at what is an important and potentially lucrative preparation for the horse. Gabby Englebrecht gave us her insights in a story for this weekend’s Sportsman so I direct you to what she had to say. In short, she was pretty confident but thoroughly respectful of the opposition and fair enough too, this is no gimme. That said, Cannyescent is 2s 2w first-up and a bit unlucky maybe not to have won or placed at stakes level so the class factor is present. His two trials have been first class, that Randwick win last Friday was as good as you’d see. I am with him. 2. ART NOUVEAU (74) has hit his best stride now winning his last two after a first-up fifth. The Godolphin housed 3YO is 5s 1-2-0 at the t/d and won a 1250m Bm72 on the heavy 8 here last start coming from last with a 2.3-lens margin — big run that. 3. NOBLE JOEY (72) is one of the Robert Prince quartet I alluded to earlier and one thing about this horse, he’s honest, he’s got a great strike-rate (11s 5-3-0) he loves the soft/heavy and from barrier 2 he’ll be nowhere else than in front after 100m.

RACE 4

NOT many horses have been beaten 40-odd lens then come out and win their next start. That’s the scenario facing 11. TRADTRI (65) tomorrow but he might be the one who can do it. How and why? Well, he was another one we raised in discussions with Robert Price this week and you can see for yourself what he said but I have to tell you it was ‘how’ he said it that convinced me. Re the last start flogging, he was going from a 1900m race to that 3200m Stayers Cup at Randwick which was a task in itself but on top of that, he was all at sea on the going — but Price maintains that he can handle it okay just not the Randwick soft. That’s true of a lot of horses. Back to 1900m where he has a t/d record of 7s 1-3-3 this time will be much more to Tradtri’s liking. A noted leader with a noted front running skilful jockey on (Kathy O’Hara), you get the sense he’ll look the winner somewhere in the straight. 1. SINGING (95) is just about the most interesting runner all day. A Kris Lees trained/Australian Bloodstock French-bred 6YO by the mighty Singspiel, Singing’s most notable run in Europe was his 1-lens second to Protectionist in a G2 at Hamburg. Singing has a number of other stakes-placings back home including when fourth in the G1 Grand Prix De Paris at G1 level behind an extremely good horse in Flintshire who’d be topweight in any Caulfield Cup or Melbourne Cup if he ever blessed us with his presence. No trials but he is with a master conditioner. Money talks — watch the flucs and act accordingly. 5. PINDAN PEARL (79) is a fit, in-form mare that is an on-pace last start winner over this journey.

RACE 5

LEES has a very strong hand to play in the next few races, as well as the previous, here I am pretty ken on another of the Australian Bloodstock imports in 1. SLOW PACE (83). The American-bred son of Kentucky Derby sire Distorted Humor is the highest rated horse in the race which is a good starting point. The rising 9YO is at his best on soft and I thought he trialled pretty well when fourth to Music Magnate and Clearly Innocent in a Wyong heat albeit beaten 7.1-lens by a big, big winner. Slow Pace is 10s 1-1-1 first-up but bear in mind one of those was a third by 0.5-lens in the G3 Newcastle Newmarket at his Australian debut. A G3 winner in France, Slow Pace is yet to win down under but methinks he might get his first tomorrow. I love 2. MCCREERY (81) as a horse in general and think he has a Group win in him in his adopted country. The Chris Waller trained 4YO is lightly-raced and back for his second Australian preparation and being an import, one would imagine he would be better this time than he was last time even though he ran ‘21’ in his only two runs. He was okay first-up, trialled since, and is 2s 1-1- second-up, 3s 2-1-0 on heavy. Major player. 5. KING’S OFFICER (72) is going for four straight wins and it could be five with any luck. His three wins have been awesome but in two Highways and a Bm69 — naturally this is harder.

Cheeky Babe (yellow/black cap). Picture Gregg Porteous

RACE 6

13. CHEEKY BABE (69) was scratched from Race 9 to run here and I think that’s a great call by trainer David Pfieffer because on paper, this looks a fast pace which will play into the hands of his Bel Esprit filly. Cheeky Babe is 6s 2-1-2 so far, her only unplaced run was her debut 5/6 to Japonisme in a Rosehill race on Aug. 1 last year. She is 2s 0-1-1 at the track and the beaten margins were 0.3-lens and 0.2-lens — she could have just about won both times. Pfieffer trialled her at WF on Jul. 15 and she was a nose second in her 735m heat; cracking trial it was too. 4. RAIDO (74) from the Kris Lees camp has some wonderful numbers. Here are a few; Track — 3s 1-2-0, Distance — 6s 2-3-0, T/d — 3s 1-2-0 and on soft he is 5s 2-1-1. The son of Husson was very good first-up at Hawkesbury, less so next time at Randwick but this is a lovely race for the horse. 2. ENCOSTANATI (76) drops from 60kgs to 57kgs after the claim for the star apprentice Deanne Panya and from gate 2, you’d think she (Panya) would make use of that good alley. The horse needs to find 2, maybe 3-lens, but third-up now, he’s a chance to do it.

RACE 7

KRIS Lees again for me and 6. FELINES (92) in the Gerry Harvey colours. This daughter of the businessman/breeders beloved stallion Conatus is very well placed here third-up after those two fourths in strong races, one at Listed level in Brisbane, the other behind El Sasso in a Bm90 at Rosehill. Felines has won seven races, six at 1000m and one at 1100m. She was also only 1.7-lens behind English in the G2 Challenge at the end of last preparation. The two things that worry me a bit are the 1100m and the draw (8) but other than that, she’s in this up to her ears. Mudlark 1. MOUNT NEBO (94) is racing as well, probably better than ever — kudos to Allan Denham for getting the horse back. That run in the Ramornie last Wednesday week was an excellent form reference for this, fifth beaten under a length is a great recommendation. Oh and in the wet? He is 11s 3-4-2 on slow and 7s 3-0-2 on heavy. 2. FORGET (93) is aptly-named in one regard, you have to totally ignore his first-up run at Rosehill last Saturday. He is a proficient Canterbury horse and he — not unlike Mount Nebo — absolutely loves the conditions being 8s 3-2-0 on heavy.

RACE 8

5. AVONACO (80) has Hugh Bowman riding him tomorrow. Bowman has been on the Waller gelding four times so far for two wins, a second and an eighth. Maybe I can also add that one of those wins was at Canterbury. In fact, Avonaco is something of a Canterbury horse with a record at the venue of 5s 2-2-0 and 4s 1-2-0 at the t/d. He is out of Freestyle, a stakeswinner Snippets mare, which accounts for his 6s 2-2-1 on slow. Drawn to get a few favours. 3. POWERLINE (83) deserves to win a race. The Kris Lees trained grey gelding has placed at each and all of his last five outings, two of them by a nose — one of them was to stablemate Danish Twist in the Provincial Championship Final. Love the names around him in recent starts, Danish Twist of course, His Majesty, Le Cordon Bleu, Painte, Elemenohpee and Burning Passion. Nice draw there in five alley — hard to imagine him missing out altogether. 7. TYPHOON JOLIE (77) is a handy first-up performer who excels at this trip. She likes to lead or be ‘right there’ so the inside gate is likely a big advantage. On top of that, and best of all, she swims being 5s 1-2-1 on soft and 3s 2w on heavy.

RACE 9

LET’S finish the day with a $41 winner. 2. SENSE AND REASON (80) is her name and apparently this is her last start before she goes off to stud. A former Chris Waller trained mare, Sense And Reason has been with Nowra trainer Robert Price for her last two runs. Granted she has finished 11th of 13 and 10th of 11 but Price is giving her a real sneaky little chance. “I cannot fault her at home,’’ he told us this week. ‘’I am sure she is a lot better on those wetter tracks so we’ll give her one last crack before we send her off to stud. She is a lovely mare, a quality animal and a joy to have in the stable. She looks a picture and has got dapples on her dapples.’’ At $41, why not something small each-way or the place? 6. SHAHRAZAD (73) was borderline good thing here first-up. If you saw her trials, took note of her Canterbury form, you’d know why. I thought she would win but I certainly didn't think she’d sit three wide and win by 2-lens going away from them; she’s obviously in great nick. Heavy 8 t/d winner last start. 8. PRINCESS COMMAND (71) is a soft 7 t/d winner from last start and absolutely deserved it after being so darn unlucky at her previous two. Always a chance in anything she contests — just needs a good tempo and a clear crack.