New Year’s Day brings the launch of our website and my first-ever full card Horse Racing preview on the site. You can expect these to come for most major races and every Saturday for the Sydney Metro Meet. Canterbury is where New Year’s Day racing is held in Sydney for 2023 and we have 8 races to be run and won and the card is headlined by the 1200M Canterbury Sprint. The weather is fine, the track is rated a Good 4 and the rail is in the true position for the entire circuit.
Race 1 – NED AUSTRALIAN WHISKY MDN 1900M
This is honestly a terrible race to be kicking my preview career on this website off as it is a dartboard and a half. Seriously, take your pick, any of these horses could get up, yes, even the 16 career start maiden horse Keys To Love.
But I have settled with Fudai. Go back and watch any of its career starts, the story is always the same – jump, settle at the back and then storm home without winning. He has been crying out for extra ground and finally gets it. Dyl Gibbons is on board and gets some weight off the back and I think he is a red-hot chance to take it out to kick off the New Year with a win.
Mr Plume as the favourite should be respected, as should Duma with Tommy Berry making his return to the saddle and I will throw in Monte Outlander as the classic leader at Canterbury type. But this is certainly a race that I would keep the money in my pocket.
Selections: 2, 10, 6, 9
Suggested Bet: No Bet
Race 2 – Drinkwise Mdn Plate 1200M
Another one that would probably be wise to keep the wallet in the pocket for but I feel as though this could be one for some exotics if you fancy yourself a trifecta/first four kind of bettor.
Step Aside for Waller goes on top for me, just, by the barest of margins. His debut was quite eye-catching considering he was forward, perhaps a little too forward and managed to ride out all the way to the line without fading more than a length, so clearly, he has an engine to him. With a more patient ride, he can win.
I don’t even want to touch Shalatin considering all the times he has been a ‘good thing’ and then run terribly, if he breaks the maiden here, he won’t have my money.
Hollywood Hero looks to be talented enough from the trials and a forward showing is to be expected, so with Gibbons’ weight claim and the first barrier, he can really give them a run for their money on debut here. As can Bucks Party. You can’t possibly underestimate a Waterhouse and Bott debutant who has been super at the trials, he’ll go to the front and break their hearts and he wouldn’t shock me if he did.
Good Once probably goes in as well with 3 runner-up performances that have seen him become quite unlucky not to have already broken the maiden. A win is very possible, especially if he gets clear in the straight.
Selections: 9-5-1-4
Suggested Bet: Step Aside Win and 1, 4, 5, 8, 9 Boxed Trifecta
Race 3 – Petaluma Mdn Plate 1300M
Hardest one to split so far with a good 6 strong chances here, so even harder to narrow them down to just 4 top selections.
There is something about Ishani that has me leaning its way. All of its runs have been solid without being too eye-catching, but if you go back and look at the form – a 4th behind G1 winner In Secret, a 3rd in a 900m maiden where he ran out of room and a 6th placing behind Hi Dubai where he was stuck in traffic he reads as a sneaky chance at these double figure odds, as long as he is clear going around the bend.
Rocketeer Girl is another at odds that really sticks out to me, she was 4th behind Hi Dubai in that same race as Ishani and she looked strong, just ran out of puff, so with the extra fitness now she could certainly play a big role come the finish.
The favourite Midnight Grace will ride with the bottom weight and will be the one to watch late as she has lost on the bob in both of her last two starts, so she is crying for a win. I expect her to grab the leader’s tails and try and outrun them to the line and wouldn’t be surprised if she beats them. Leandra also poses a knockout risk after only narrowly missing at Cantebury in her last start.
Selections: 6-3-10-8
Suggested Bet: Ishani Each Way at Odds
Race 4 – Furphy (Bm64) 1550M
Willinga Freefall is the favourite and for good reason, he has never been beaten and has dispatched the competition in all 3 of his career starts. This is his first big test if he can hack it in the city ranks, but with Gibbons sticking after 2 successful rides already, I see no reason why he can’t jumps, lead, kick and win.
Semena will be the one that the favourite has to get past if he wants to win, because this Maher and Eustace filly comes into the race full of confidence and with 5 less kilos on the back. Beat Royal Merchant in a trial a couple months back and that is form that has since been franked and with a record that has never seen her finish outside the top 3, she is the main danger.
Glowing Gold and Maritama would be the ones you want rounding out the exotics.
Selections: 1-11-9-10
Suggested Bet: Willinga Freefall Win
Race 5 – Castelvecchio Yearlings (Bm64) 1900M
Thinking the apprentices of Dylan Gibbons and Zac Lloyd can run the quinella with Whangaehu and Handsome both were unlucky to not have won their last start and get either an equal class or a lower class to run in and try and snag a victory. The pair were strong through the line in their respective races and while they are typically backmarkers and this is a track that prefers leaders, I feel they are the two horses to beat and must be watched late if they are clear in the straight.
Favourite Grebni is yet to run a bad race in its career and most likely won’t be starting on Sunday. Should jump, grab a spot with cover in the midfield and try and find a gab to launch late. Trust the process will also be one to launch at the line late and must be respected as a knockout chance at double-figure odds.
Selections: 2-1-13-4
Suggested Bet: Whangaehu Each Way, 1,2 Boxed Quinella and 1,2,4,13 Boxed Trifecta
Race 6 – Kia Canterbury Sprint 1200M
The listed race of the day and it’s a cracker.
I Am Me tips itself really. You can’t not back her until she fails to fire and she hasn’t yet this prep. I think she is a horse that could potentially be running around in Group 2 and 3 and even a Group 1 Sprint in the 2023 Spring so I have to be with her here, but she will need to burn a lot of petrol to get to the front, so I would be playing her in multi’s if I were you and not going all in on the win.
Spaceboy, Ranges and Dragonstone are the 3 next best chances in the field for mine and I think all 4 of these top-selection horses could cause a blanket finish on the line that has to be separated by the photos.
It really is anybody’s game.
Selections: 3-9-1-5
Suggested Bet: I Am Me too short to back outright so we’ll go with Spaceboy to place, there is a reason why his nickname is ‘Placeboy’, other than that sit back and watch.
Race 7 – The Agency Real Estate (Bm72) 1100M
I think one of my more confident tips has to be Tsarina Sophia she is the unbeaten filly that holds market favouritism at the moment and she looks to be a very promising type that could see herself at the Saturday Metro level soon enough. Last start she chased super hard to win over 1000M and she was still strong through the one so I am keen to see her with the extra 100m to stretch out her legs.
Essone has the runs on the board when you think of the BM72 class considering she is a winner at the Midway level so she will certainly have something to say come the final stages if she isn’t stuck in traffic.
Euros and Super Bright look really well placed here after multiple starts against horses that were just too strong for them and I feel as though the Sunday/Midweek Benchmark grade could be where they can shine.
Selections: 6-3-13-2
Suggested Bet: Tsarina Sophia Win (BEST BET)
Race 8 – Tab (Bm72) 1200M
We have a Mock-owned runner in this one with Cheerful Legend so that just has to go on top. He is first up here and this is his best distance so who knows, he could give the field a run for their money if they aren’t careful.
Vowmaster is the favourite for a good reason, double nominated for Saturday’s races, but if he races here he will be incredibly hard to beat. As long as he has a clear lane to the line, he will be the one to watch flying home late. He’s a Hotshot and For Valour won’t be too far away in the run as well.
Selections: 12-6-3-1
Suggested Bet: Small Each Way Play on Cheerful Legend
Top Selections For The Card:
Race 1: Fudai
Race 2: Step Aside
Race 3: Ishani
Race 4: Willinga Freefall
Race 5: Whangaehu
Race 6: I Am Me
Race 7: Tsarina Sophia (BEST BET)
Race 8: Cheerful Legend
Quaddie
Race 5: 1, 2, 4, 13
Race 6: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9
Race 7: 3, 6
Race 8: 1,3,6,8,12
$50 gets you 17.25%