Raceday focus: Best bets, Inside mail for Canterbury

Kosciuszko hopeful Ten Bells can kick off her campaign on a winning note on Wednesday. BEST BETS, INSIDE MAIL

Trainer Scott Collings is looking for Ten Bells to keep her unbeaten first-ups record in tact when she steps out at Canterbury on Wednesday. Picture: Grant Guy

Daily Telegraph form analyst Matt Jones gives his best bets and runs the rule over every race for Canterbury.

The Form: Complete NSW Racing thoroughbred form, including video replays and all you need to know about every horse, jockey and trainer. Find a winner here!

CANTERBURY

BEST BET

Race 6, No.10: TEN BELLS

She’s resuming in an ideal race as she looks to stake her Kosciuszko claims so she must be ready to fire straight away and has Bowman on board.

NEXT BEST

Race 2, No.4: SCORCH

He was scratched from a wide gate on Saturday and looks to be a nice type after having a typical Team Hawkes barrier trial. He should be getting an ideal run.

VALUE BET

Race 7, No.7: MARCHIONESS

She’s drawn wide but will be coming at them late at double figure odds after looking the part at her Australian debut four weeks ago in a Saturday race.

QUADDIE

Race 4: 1, 2, 5

Race 5: 1, 3, 7, 8

Race 6: 1, 6, 10

Race 7: 2, 5, 7, 10

Champion apprentice Tyler Schiller will go close in the TAB Jockeys Challenge. Picture: Getty Images

JOCKEY TO WATCH

Tyler Schiller has some good rides - Marelle, Icecrusher, Highly Desired and Lunakorn - who can give him success in the Jockey Challenge.

TRAINER TO WATCH

Les Bridge only has two running today but looks to have placed Sports Legend and Speed Legend well in the second and third races.

THE INSIDE MAIL FOR CANTERBURY

RACE 1

Ironbark Artie is very fit now and handles wet tracks and his racing style should suit the Canterbury track so stepping up to city grade isn’t a step too far for him with a strong team behind him. Spirit Of Vomo should come across to perhaps lead them. He’s third-up now so expect another good performance after he went close to True Crime at Gosford first-up and that’s good form. The stablemate Midnightinmonteal will challenge for the lead so the speed should be on. It might help Ironbark Artie come off their backs and have the last crack at them.

Bet: Ironbark Artie to win

RACE 2

Scorch was given a typical Team Hawkes barrier trial leading into this and it looks like he’s got something about him. We really do get to see what’s under the bonnet today. He was scratched from a Saturday race last weekend due to a wide gate. Sports Legend trialled up better than most of these other first starters. Magic Carpet was in the top juvenile races as a two-year-old and has trialled up very nicely and has run well here before and likes a heavy track. She’s going to need some luck from an awkward gate but if she gets it, she should be hard to hold out.

Bet: Scorch to win

Trainer Les Bridge prepares Speed Legend.

RACE 3

Chateaux Park won last time and while he’s never strung together two in a row, he has always run very well after a win so he might be a chance of going back-to-back for the first time and the booking of James McDonald only helps his cause. Good Omens is an on-pacer who makes her own luck and she shouldn’t have excuses fourth-up from a good gate. Speed Legend looks like he wants 1900m now and generally runs well here. He handles heavy ground and was doing his best work late over 1500m in a stronger race last time. Count On Me gets in very light here and beat a horse last start that’s since come out and won.

Bet: Speed Legend to win

RACE 4

Icecrusher has the form behind her this time in. She won last start on the Kensington track as a well backed horse due to her second placings behind Tawfiq Lass and Sur La Mer who ran very good races at Rosehill on Saturday. And We Danced has been letting the punters down in a number of Saturday races when well backed. This is her chance to grab another win back down to the midweeks and going up in trip should suit. Stablemate Mystic Mermaid looked beaten last start at Newcastle but stuck her nose out when it counted to win and has 3.5kg less to lug now.

Bet: Icecrusher to win

RACE 5

Green Flash has a fresh win to his name and didn’t run far off Waihaha Falls last prep and that’s the best form of the winter and James McDonald is on. The claim gets Highly Desired in with a winnable weight and he’ll take up the running after dropping back in grade last start and getting the job done with an easy kill which was what the connections no doubt wanted to see. Believe So’s career so far is better than it looks on paper and he will give them something to chase. Sacred Demand is better placed here while Go Gazza looks nice value.

Bet: Green Flash to win

James McDonald rides Green Flash at Canterbury on Wednesday. Picture: Getty Images

RACE 6

Scott Collings will be trying to get Ten Bells into the Kosciuszko this year and it starts here. A win here boosts her chances of getting into the rich race in October where she’s currently a $26 and she looks to stay undefeated first-up. Ceasefire has been freshened which suits as he tries to make the step up to being a genuine city-class horse. Conrad has the ability to win this and can bounce back after getting a bit of a torrid run in transit last time. Thar won’t happened from barrier two with Nash on. Bugalugs runs well fresh and handles wet ground and the consistency of this horse should mean he’s going to run well at around the $10 price which is good value.

Bet: Ten Bells to win

RACE 7

Gracilistyla runs well here and was scratched from a stronger race last weekend for this and hasn’t missed a placing first-up to date. The barrier is the issue but Bowman is on. Overlord really came home well from off the speed to win first-up and loves heavy ground but is he suspect second-up? Whangauhu must be a market watch at his Australian debut. The issue might be that 1250m is too short but look for him to come home hard. Marchioness looks to be the value runner here after an encouraging effort at her Australian debut in a Saturday race three weeks ago and she was saved for this race after drawing wide in a Saturday event last weekend.

Bet: Marchioness to win

Originally published as Raceday focus: Best bets, Inside mail for Canterbury