Canterbury preview: A well-bred colt from the Team Snowden stable is set to make a winning debut
Peter and Paul Snowden’s well-bred son of Dundeel has shown plenty of ability at the trials and he is ready to bring to the races on debut at Canterbury.
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 1, No.3: VOMO ISLAND
A well-bred colt from the Peter and Paul Snowden stable. A half-brother to a stakes winner in fact and has trialled (and drawn) like a horse ready to win.
NEXT BET
Race 7, No.5: EVENING BRIDE
Unbeaten in her two first-up runs; she finds herself in the perfect race with a good draw and claim.
VALUE BET
Race 6, No.9: NICOCHET
Only won five races from 72 starts but placed 24 times and been unlucky on lots of occasions, last start included.
QUADDIE
Race 5: 1, 6
Race 6: 1, 9
Race 7: 5
Race 8: Field
JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Boom apprentice Zac Lloyd has a fabulous book at Canterbury on Friday night and his Saturday lot isn’t bad either.
WAGGA
BEST BET
Race 8, No.4: CHARLEMAGNE
Timed to peak here third-up in the right race for an in-form trainer and jockey combination.
NEXT BEST
Race 1, No.2: BOLD TRIUMPH
Placed at four of five starts, three of those were seconds, two of them were at Wagga.
QUIRINDI
BEST BET
Race 4, No.1: NOSEY PARKER
A Paul Perry-trained son of his former champion, Choisir. He might be better than these.
NEXT BEST
Race 5, No.3: BRIDGES TO BABYLON
Only won once in those 28 starts but placed 13 of them and can really power up late.
THE INSIDE MAIL FOR CANTERBURY
RACE 1
Vomo Island is a half-brother to a past Snowden stable resident Wayupinthesky who won the VRC Cap D’Antibes. Vomo Island might be a son of Dundeel but there is nothing dour about him. Three trials, two wins and a third, all of them at Randwick. He is ready to go and ready to win. French Endeavour was clipped from $19 into $15 on debut in the Kensington and ran accordingly. Lot to like about the way she hit the line. Inhibitions’ fifth dam is Emancipation. Goes well. Tannhauser is a market watch.
Bet: Vomo Island to win
RACE 2
Lipscani is trained by Team Hawkes and is bred on the same cross as their The Everest runner-up Masked Crusader. Lipscani has been dealt a few favours in as much as this is a really suitable race and he’s picked up barrier 2 with the added advantage of Zac Lloyd’s 2kg claim. Looks like a horse with talent. Coriolis has finished second at three of her five starts. Counting on the 1250m on a firm track as double ticks. Big watch on In Love And War. She has run some creditable races in her short time and has trialled well.
Bet: Lipscani to win, In Love And War to place
RACE 3
Strait Acer is a handsome horse but has the substance to match. He’s only had the three starts so far but already he is trademark tough and very genuine. Those two traits are going to assist him no end tonight given that he has to go 1550m for the first time. Episodic should relish getting out to this trip being a Tavistock third run in off a 1250m and a 1400m; that last one behind Call Di. Tavi Time swaps Taree for town but it is flying. Queenmaker could place at odds second-up and at a more suitable trip for her.
Bet: Strait Acer to win
RACE 4
Miracle Day won his first three starts when he shifted to Kris Lees. They were massive wins too; Muswellbrook, Newcastle and then Canterbury. He never really built on that to any degree but he wasn’t bad either. Bottom line is, he finds himself in a winnable race tonight and he comes off a trial win over Promitto. Speaking of trials, Speed Legend has been impressive enough in his two warm ups to warrant respect here given his compelling fresh record. Amortal and Tuscon valley are obvious and major players.
Bet: Miracle Day to win
RACE 5
Night Of Power is building up to something. The Bjorn Baker-trained import has had four runs back in this preparation, even the two ‘lasts’ had some merit. If you don’t go along with that, then surely we can all agree that the Feb 4 third to Banju just has to be ‘the form’ for this race. One more thing, Night Of Power is a track/distance winner. Showtime Lady and Amy McLucas were both incredible on the Kensington last start. How the jockey stayed on and how the horse ran second is a credit to them both. Silent Agenda is getting very close to a win.
Bet: Night Of Power to win
RACE 6
Nicochet has won $428,140 for his owner/breeders but imagine how much it could have been if some of those 24 placings (12 of them seconds.) were wins. As it stands, Nicochet has won five times in his 72 starts but anyone who knows the horse will tell you that he has been unlucky at times and we’re counting Feb 1 as one of them. Three Wise Men is down in class and up in trip. On top of that, he gets 2kg off for Zac Lloyd. Insider Trader was only beaten two lengths in a 1900m Benchmark 72 here 16-days ago.
Bet: Nicochet each-way, Three Wise Men each-way, quinella 9,11
RACE 7
Evening Bride has a lot going for her tonight. Just for starters he has barrier 3 and a 2kg claim for Zac Lloyd who has a terrific book of rides tonight by the way. As for Evening Bride, she is an Edward Cummings-trained mare who is unbeaten in her two first-up runs. Keep in mind that her only prior run at Canterbury saw her finish a close third to Jal Lei. Girl Mania is in foal to five-time Group 1 winner Palace Pier so says the Studbook. She deserves another win before she calls it a day and she has always liked Canterbury.
Bet: Evening Bride to win
RACE 8
Air Of Alsace is a chance to be kept for Warwick Farm on Wednesday. Long story short; she is flying. Strombus drew wide here and is the sixth emergency so duly accepted at Gosford on Saturday. He’s flying too. Standing Order has drawn wide and also nominated for another race on another day as insurance. I’ll change the record soon but truthfully, he’s flying too. Should any or all of the above get an early night then it would more than open the way for Ron Quinton’s last start winner Famous Pedrille.
Bet: Whichever of those four come to win
Originally published as Canterbury preview: A well-bred colt from the Team Snowden stable is set to make a winning debut
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