Race day focus: Best bets, inside mail for Coffs Harbour, Canterbury

A Donna Grisedale-trained gelding has shown more than enough in his two starts to date that a win was close at hand. BEST BETS, INSIDE MAIL

Trainer Donna Grisedale (pictured) prepares promising three-year-old in Bow who can land a first career win this week.

Daily Telegraph form analyst Shayne O’Cass 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!

COFFS HARBOUR

BEST BET

Race 5, No.1: BOW

Bel Esprit gelding who has finished third at only two starts; the last one at Gosford.Get his big opportunity here.

NEXT BEST

Race 1, No.1: GOLDEN FANTASY

Placed three out of five visits to the venue. Third-up now off two recent placings. Drawn to win.

VALUE BET

Race 8, No.2: BANJO

Glen Innes local who landed some good bets when he won at Grafton on the Heavy second-up. Worth sticking with.

QUADDIE

Race 5: 1

Race 6: 1,2,3,14

Race 7: 1,10

Race 8: 1,2

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Talented apprentice Jasper Franklin is the one to beat in Monday’s TAB Jockeys Challenge before any morning scratchings.

CANTERBURY WEDNESDAY

BEST BET

Race 4, No.6: SMIRK

Daughter of Chris Waller’s own Preferment; a granddaughter of Eustaci - all of which makes her a Queensland Oaks filly.

NEXT BEST

Race 2, No.2: LONDON

Capitalist replica who ran fourth to Fireburn on New Year’s Day. Trialled well for this and has good races in him.

VALUE BET

Race 3, No.6: LITTLE LANAI

Progressive filly who will appreciate the 1550m not to mention the dual advantages of barrier 4 and William Pike.

THE INSIDE MAIL FOR CANTERBURY

RACE 1

Powderfinger is a racy style of filly from the Gary Portelli stable. A relative of the great Lindsay Park filly, Isca, Powderfinger looked good up the straight when a closing third in her April 11 heat. Finds herself in a winnable race. Monfiducia is bred for ‘later’ and ‘longer’ but the trial last month was quite encouraging and this doesn’t look like an incredibly deep midweeker. Jaameelati is the blue blood of the field and the trials have been quite good to varying degrees. Hard to leave out Sweet Baby Boom who has good Canterbury experience and may even lead here.

Bet: Powderfinger to win

RACE 2

London is an absolute replica of his sire, Capitalist, which explains why James Harron paid $600,000 (second top price at the 2021 Inglis Classic) for him Tipped out after his debut fourth to Fireburn, Revolutionary Miss and Pantonario. Vancouver’s Crown beat himself at Hawkesbury first-up but still ran very honourably Has the talent. King Of Naples trials like he will win his share of races. Take note that Pride Of Penraf goes well but may be saved for Wagga on Sunday. Can’t wait for that.

Bet: London to win, exacta 2 to beat 18

RACE 3

Little Lanai is a filly headed in the right direction. She was good enough on debut over 1150m then the same story at Goulburn over 1400m after that. The lure on Wednesday is that Jason Coyle has found her a 1550m race, third-up, on a drier track, barrier 5 and William Pike. Speaking of those suited up in trip, Vaneto is bang on to run the best race of her short career on Wednesday. Stormy Legend and Whatafox run a lot of seconds - but both can win.

Bet: Little Lanai to win

Jason Coyle has a promising filly in Little Lanai who can break though for a well earned win. Picture: Getty Images

RACE 4

Smirk was sold for $160,000 at Karaka which is decent money for a first crop sire, especially a NZ based one namely Preferment. Just like Chris Waller to seek out the best one and you be sure he’s got himself a very good filly in Smirk. If she isn’t Doomben Roses/Queensland Oaks material then nothing else is. Enduring Night was $15 into $10 first-up in a Midway on March 26 and ran accordingly. Only won two from 23 but can be dangerous at her top.

Bet: Smirk to win (best bet)

RACE 5

Naval Seal, the son of Snitzel and First Seal is a dual acceptor. Drawn 11 of 11 in one race and 2 of 12 in this one but will require two scratchings to make the cut. Long story short, he looks like he can figure here with the good draw this time. Barrichello likes racing at this venue. He has done it six times before for a win and three placings. In fact, his only win so far was at this same track/distance and better still, that was 14-days ago. Za Ceibas was super impressive at Hawkesbury.

Bet: Naval Seal to win, quinella 1,12

RACE 6

Clyde has now contested a VRC and ATC Derby finishing a long, long way behind Hitotsu in both of them. Maybe he doesn’t run 2400m, but he did run 2000m when a very creditable sixth in the Tulloch Stakes. Back to the midweeks on Wednesday and back to 1900m - got to find this more to his liking. Massive market watch on the Waller gelding Hameron whose two runs in Victoria were ‘good then better again’ which augurs well for his first NSW assignment. Stellar Performers will appreciate the ‘firmer’ track this time.

Bet: Clyde each-way

Sam Clipperton (pictured) rides Rubinocchi for trainer Joe Pride at Canterbury on Wednesday. Picture: Getty Images

RACE 7

Rubinocchi is a Joe Pride/Proven Thoroughbreds filly with a tidy little C.V of two wins and two seconds from seven appearances. She performs admirably when fresh and heads into Wednesday’s race off the back of consecutive trials, both good, the last one a ripper in fact. Rifles can be a bit hit and miss (no pun intended) but those who know him will all be able to make a sane case for the horse. Zain’s Girl and the cleverly-named Broken Hill (a son of Mining Tycoon) have obvious claims.

Bet: Rubinocchi to win

RACE 8

Showtime Lady has trialled as well as anything and better than most horses heading to Canterbury. Whether that will be enough on its own to beat this incredibly even, and deep field, remains to be seen but her cause is certainly aided by barrier 1, 55kg and Rachel King. Last start winners The Art Of Flying and Devil’s Throat are going to split punters here down the middle - maybe. There will be plenty of others though making a case for the likes of Kir Royale, Ka Bling and Pleading etc.

Bet: Showtime Lady each-way

Originally published as Race day focus: Best bets, inside mail for Coffs Harbour, Canterbury