Raceday focus: Best bets, inside mail for Canterbury

An exciting colt from the Chris Waller yard resumes from a lengthy spell after an eye-catching debut behind Paulele. BEST BETS, INSIDE MAIL

Chris Waller prepares the promising Zarastro who resumes at Canterbury on Wednesday. Picture: Getty Images

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!

CANTERBURY

BEST BET

Race 3, No.5: ZARASTRO

Million dollar yearling by I Am Invincible out of ‘Winx conqueror’ Adrift who was third to Paulele on debut in December. Quality colt who has trialled up a storm.

NEXT BEST

Race 2, No.6: NORWEGIAN BLISS

Gerry Harvey bred mare who has strung together two monumentally impressive wins to open her career. Faces her first ‘big’ test but she is capable of measuring up.

VALUE BET

Race 1, No.3: SACRED COMMAND

Narrow but impressive winner at Goulburn before a narrow but luckless defeat on the Kensington track last Wednesday. Go well.

QUADDIE

Race 3: 3,5

Race 4: 2,8

Race 5: 6,8

Race 6: 2,3,9

BEST EXOTIC

Exacta Race 3, No.5 ZARASTRO to beat No.3: KING KAPA

Tommy Berry looks hard to beat in the Jockeys Challenge at Canterbury. Picture: Getty Images

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

Tommy Berry is destined to start short odds in the TAB Jockeys Challenge and bar any scratchings, he will take some beating.

THE INSIDE MAIL FOR CANTERBURY

RACE 1

Sacred Command was a narrow yet still convincing winner at Goulburn two starts back beating last weekend’s Highway winner Kitzbuhel among others. Fair to say that the Chris Waller recruit was frightfully unlucky not to have won on the Kensington track last Wednesday owing to traffic issues in the straight. Small field suits and at his peak for this. Formentera resumed with a gritty and determined Waterhouse/Bott trademark win at Hawkesbury fending off the handy Mascherata. Has won second-up and probably comes over from out wide without too much trouble. Green Flash, a million-dollar baby, sent out some encouraging signs first-up on the Kensington track four weeks back. Agrimony will strip fitter for his Australian debut/defeat.

Bet: Sacred Command to win

RACE 2

Norwegian Bliss is unbeaten. Her debut win at Port Macquarie was outstanding in every way considering that she was four deep the whole way from the wide draw but was just better than them. Same story 16-days later except that she drew 2, flew the lids to lead, went to the line almost four in front and with plenty left in the locker. Untapped yes, but this is her first acid test. Sur La Mer is a Chris Waller trained daughter of Nature Strip’s sire, Nicconi, and a sister to the Blue Diamond runner-up Lankan Star. Drifted from $6.50 to $12 when she won first-up but won like a 6/4 shot. Hard to beat - she always is. Parachuter led but was run down by two others at the Farm; that pair - Rebel Rama and Daralina Belle are both in the Four Pillars on Saturday.

Bet: Norwegian Bliss to win, exacta 6 to beat 2

Glyn Schofield takes the ride on Zarastro for trainer Chris Waller. Picture: Getty Images

RACE 3

Zarastro was going to start around the $5 mark in last Saturday’s Listed ATC Sir Brian Crowley Stakes but stayed home instead. The Chris Waller trained colt is by I Am Invincible out of Zabeel mare Adrift who beat Winx, Mossfun, First Seal et al in the Light Fingers. Regarding his form; he was third to Paulele no less in his only run back on December 19. Trialling super. King Kapa ran his rivals off their legs to win at Grafton on debut on April 30 then, 16-days later, led again but was run down late to clock in an honourable fourth in the Group 2 Champagne Classic. Now with Joe Pride and the trials have been very good indeed. Sliders was beaten a length and a bit in the Group 2 Reisling in March.

Bet: Zarastro to win, exacta 5 to beat 3

RACE 4

On pace and on the rails is prized land at Canterbury and you would imagine that that’s where Tommy Berry would like Rubamos to be if he gets away, etc, etc. Two things to note; one is that his only win (so far) came first-up and two, he was excellent winning his trial at the Farm 12-days ago. Speaking of good trials, the Gerald Ryan/Sterling Alexiou trained gelding Tectonicus has impressed in his two heats ahead of Wednesday’s return. Worth keeping in mind that he has raced here twice for a win and a third. Speed Legend won two of his three starts for Matthew Vella. He is now with Les Bridge who has him tuned up with a pair of circa 1050m trials. More Sundays will be flying home as usual.

Bet: Rubamos to win

Trainer John O'Shea saddles up Comme Bella Fille. Picture: AAP Image

RACE 5

Comme Bella Fille is trained by John O’Shea who won a Spring Champion Stakes with her father Complacent. Originally trained in New Zealand, Comme Bella Fille arrived here as a Matamata maiden winner. She won a 2100m Class 1 at Wyong (easily) at her third and final start of the first prep for O’Shea. Fitter for the first-up second over the mile. The 1900m is perfect now. Narrated gets all the on-pace favours that Canterbury delivers. This Snitzel mare was runner-up at her only previous visit and will take catching if left alone. California Longbow led throughout to win his only track/distance run.

Bet: Comme Bella Fille to win, exacta 6 to beat 8

RACE 6

Tiny, a daughter of Miniature, has done some good things in her nine starts, winning twice and placing three times. Crucial to note that she has been here twice; winning one of them and having major excuses the other time. Plenty to like about Tiny’s first-up run behind Six Again on the heavy 9 at the Farm. El Buena has one particularly inviting stat and that is that he won her first-up (beating Onchao and Siege). Shadow Bridge is very fast; he was one of three horses that just went way too fast for their own good at Rosehill the other week.

Bet: Tiny to win, quinella 2,9

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