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2023 Canterbury Stakes Runner By Runner Preview, Odds & Tips

The great Don Henley once sang “I feel it in the air, summers out of reach” which probably doesn’t excite many, especially if you like to spend your Saturdays at the beach in a pair of budgie smugglers, but for racing fans far and wide that means one thing, Autumn racing is here!

Both the Australian and Randwick Guineas will be run and won on Saturday, along with the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes, held at Royal Randwick Racecourse over 1300m. And as is so often the case, a quality field of sprinters have been assembled in the $600k weight-for-age contest, including star Kiwi mare, Imperatriz.

She currently heads the market with Dabble at $1.90. Group 1 winning colt Golden Mile is on the next line of betting at $6.50, just ahead of serious sprinter Artorius at $7.00, who returns from a long break. Electric Girl heads the others at $10, after a solid first up win.

However, we know anything can happen in the horse racing game and there’s plenty of different formlines in this race. So, we have dissected each of the horses’ chances for you and provided our horse racing tips! Read on below to find our runner by runner preview of the 2023 Canterbury Stakes along with The Shark’s best tips. 

1. Cascadian (5) – $14
Jockey – Brenton Avdulla 59kg
Trainer – James Cummings

Rising nine-year-old who is still racing at the peak of his powers. Returns here off the back of just one trial, where he savaged the line late behind stablemate Savatiano. Will improve with this run under his belt, but is capable of running a race fresh.

2. Artorius (8) – $7.00
Jockey – Zac Purton 59kg
Trainer – Anthony & Sam Freedman


Resumes here off the back of a six month spell, after finishing midfield at Group 1 level in France. Has some terrific form on paper and looked good in a recent trial. Like the booking of Zac Purton, who would dead set win on a broomstick at the moment. Another who will take improvement from the run but can’t be left out of calculations.

3. Kirwan’s Lane (9) – $101
Jockey – Chad Schofield 59kg
Trainer – John O’Shea

Had a solid preparation last time in, winning at Listed and Group 2 level in the $2m Ingham. Has trialled up well for this, in some hot heats, but has a poor first up record and might find this a bit tough. Look for him over further second up.

4. Lombardo (3) – $13
Jockey – Brett Prebble 59kg
Trainer – Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr

Another who is first up here off the back of a lengthy spell. Was scratched from last week’s Oakleigh Plate to be saved for this. Will roll forward from the low draw and is a winner of two from five fresh. Has a Group 1 win next to his name just two starts ago, but will need to be in near peak condition to add another one to his tally here. Place hope.

5. Converge (4) – $26
Jockey – Tim Clark 59kg
Trainer – Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott

Dual Group 1 winner who hasn’t been sighted since finishing down the track in the Golden Eagle. Form really tapered off last prep and it’s hard to gauge off his trials how he’s come back. More than capable of running top three here but would like to see him do something before including him in the numbers in a race like this.

6. Old Flame (6) – $51
Jockey – Sam Clipperton 59kg
Trainer – Peter & Paul Snowden

Missed a place once last time in and was good in The Gong prior to a spell. Has a brilliant fresh record and has drawn to get a good run, but his recent barrier trial was nothing to get excited about. Is more than capable of being competitive if he puts his best foot forward on race day but a few others look to have his measure.


7. Quantico (10) – $34
Jockey – Kerrin McEvoy 59kg
Trainer – John O’Shea

Trialled well before a solid win at Group 3 level first up. He then got back and made some late headway in a race dominated by those up front. This his first go at WFA and he’s come up with a sticky gate. Hard to see him winning but can run on into a minor placing.

8. Imperatriz (7) – $1.90F
Jockey – James McDonald 57kg
Trainer – Mark Walker

In-form Kiwi mare who was brilliant at Group 1 level last start at Te Rapa, beating the likes of Levante and La Crique. That was her third win on end and she’s looking to make this Group 1 win number five. McDonald goes on, she’s drawn good enough in the small field and she handles all surfaces. Hard to knock.

9. Electric Girl (1) – $10
Jockey – Zac Lloyd (a) 57kg
Trainer – Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes

Rode the speed and was too good first up in the Group 2 Millie Fox at Rosehill. Yes this is tougher but she’s drawn to get a gun run again and is ever so honest. Her Randwick record is some concern but should be in it for a long way.

10. Argentia (11) – $34
Jockey – Craig Williams 57kg
Trainer – Anthony & Sam Freedman

Finished off strongly first up in the Group 2 Rubiton Stakes at Sandown behind Lofty Strike. The quinella of that race have since gone on to quinella the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate. The outside gate probably forces their hand to ride quiet again here, but she has a withering turn of foot on her day and the step up in trip suits. Looks one of the main hopes in this.

11. Golden Mile (2) – $6.50
Jockey – Nash Rawiller 56kg
Trainer – James Cummings


Second of the Blue Army runners who was good first up in the Group 2 Expressway despite going down as an odds on fav. He’s had a trial since to keep him ticking over and should roll forward from the low draw. Certainly up to this company but the 1300m second up may still be short of his best.

Final Word

A small but select field here in the 2023 Canterbury Stakes and I’m keen on the Kiwi, Imperatriz. Her latest win at Te Rapa was exceptional, where she thrashed Group 1 winners, Levante and La Crique. She’s a winner of 12 from 17 and has race fitness well and truly on her side. Whatever beats her will be winning the race.

Stablemates Artorius and Argentia can race well from the back of the field, providing there is a genuine tempo up front. Artorius resumes off the back of a solid trial and Argentia was good from the back fresh in a very strong Rubiton Stakes. Both gallopers have a lethal turn of foot on their day and can easily run into the placings.

The Team Hawkes trained, Electric Girl, was good first up in the Group 2 Millie Fox and will land in a prominent position again from gate one here. She’s tough and consistent, and will take running down.

Have a few question marks with Golden Mile. His first up run and recent trial suggest he may be looking for further than the 1300m second up here, whilst his stablemate and rising nine-year-old, Cascadian, can do something fresh.

Canterbury Stakes TipLogo

8. Imperatriz – Win ($1.90)

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*Odds correct at time of writing, courtesy of Dabble.

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2022 Canterbury Stakes Runner By Runner Preview, Odds & Tips

If you couldn’t tell by looking at the calendar, then surely a quick glance at Saturday’s race fields for Royal Randwick would be enough to let you know that Autumn is upon us.

The Sydney Autumn carnival goes from third to fourth gear this week with a quality card featuring two Group 1’s, the Canterbury Stakes and the Randwick Guineas, a pair of Group 2’s for the two year old Golden Slipper hopefuls plus, the Group 2 Challenge Stakes which sees some of the countries top sprinters do battle including Nature Strip and Eduardo. 

Throw in a couple of Group 3’s and a stakes race and you have the strongest program seen in Sydney so far this year, all we need now is a break in the weather!

Looking at the market for the Canterbury Stakes, Dabble has in form mare Forbidden Love as a clear cut favourite now that Zaaki has been scratched and kept safe for another day. The Melbourne visitor, Lighthouse, who is having an absolute breakout preparation is the clear second elect as she chases an elusive Group 1. Quality 4YO’s Private Eye and Law of Indices are duelling it out on the third line while it is double figures or better the rest.


However, we know with horse racing that anything can happen so we have dissected each of the horse’s chances for you! Read on below to find our runner by runner preview of the 2022 Canterbury Stakes along with The Shark’s best tips. 

1. Zaaki (1) – n/a
Jockey – James McDonald
Trainer – Annabel Neesham

Scratched.

2. Kolding (2) – $41
Jockey – Jason Collett
Trainer – Chris Waller

I’d love to own him but I couldn’t back him here. Tough old campaigner who’s never been a first up horse and it’s very hard to see him becoming one at this late stage of his career, He might still have a race in him, and certainly still up to earning his way, but he’s not a betting prospect.

3. Private Eye (7) – $5.50
Jockey – Regan Bayliss
Trainer – Joe Pride

He might already be a Group 1 winner but he is quite possibly still the most underrated galloper in the country. 

It’s a quantum leap from being a good handicapper to being a great weight for age horse but as a 4YO, it is the right time to make that jump, and I doubt there is any better in the star making business than Joe Pride. 

One’s only got to look at what he’s been able to do with Eduardo in a two year period to know he is the right man for the job. And whilst most didn’t give it much merit at the time, his win over Apache Chase in the QLD Guineas now reads pretty well. He was a horse on the way up in the Epsom where he was thrown in at the weights, but he did carry above his allotted weight there and that was a pretty handy field with the likes of Mo’unga, Icebath, Cascadian and Hungry Heart in the field.

He’s certainly got the quality to step up to the mark here, he’s had three trials to get him ready for this, and he’s an Al Maher who just revels in these conditions as do runners conditioned by Joe Pride whose record on days like these is exemplary. 

Expect a bold showing.

4. Dalasan (6) – $21
Jockey – Chad Schofield
Trainer – L Macdonald & A Gluyas

Hard to believe this bloke is only a 5YO. It seems like he’s been around in just about everything which is not far from the truth.

He was a good 3rd in the Epsom and although he gave weight to Private Eye there, it is hard to see him turning the tables here going into this with no trials.

Prefer to see at this stage.


5. Special Reward (4) – $13
Jockey – Glynn Schofield
Trainer – Kris Lees

He’s basically been in work since August last year so if there is anything to be said for horses with residual fitness in these types of races, particularly on trying ground, then he’s your horse. 

He was a good third in the Apollo but he was a well beaten third, and that is probably a fair indication of where he’s at around genuine Group 1 weight for age horses. This isn’t exactly a shining example of our prime cattle, but I still think there’s a couple that go better than him here. 

One for the wider exotics.

6. Wild Planet (10) – $20
Jockey – William Pike
Trainer – M, W, & J Hawkes

He falls into that bracket of being a bit too good for handicap races but not being quite there for weight for age company. Under normal circumstances, this being a weaker weight for age event is probably the right mark for him but it is very hard to be buoyed by his two Melbourne runs this time in.

Those were both on heavily biassed tracks so there is a query there, but you are taking on trust. Don’t dismiss him completely.

7. Dice Roll (9) – $21
Jockey – Rhys Mcleod
Trainer – Nick Ryan

Pretty overrated galloper in my opinion. Caught them with their pants down in the Rupert Clarke there in the Spring but has not got within cooee of them since.

Prefer others.

8. Law of Indices (5) – $5.50
Jockey – Tommy Berry
Trainer – Annabel Neesham

He was one of those peculiar bunch of horses that somebody back in the U.K. thought it would be a good idea to send over here and have a crack at a $7.5 million dollar race first up even though they are in all practicality at a six month disadvantage to their rivals, which you’ve only got to take one look at the stakes money on offer in the Golden Eagle to know they are going to be a pretty handy bunch.

That said, you always got the impression there would be something come of at least one or two of them going forward and he is certainly one who went better than expected in the Eagle, and appears to have come up this time in.

Group 1 winner at 1400m on the soft back home which won’t be all that different to what he lands on when the gates open Saturday, and if they were any deader on him first up they may as well doused him in embalming fluid and wrapped him in crepe bandages.

Found the line very strongly there after very negative tactics early and the way he finished off that fitness run tells you he is absolutely primed for this.

The scratching of the heavily fancied stablemate might be a fair guide also… goes on top for mine.


9. Forbidden Love (8) – $2.90F
Jockey – Hugh Bowman
Trainer – R & M Freedman

She’s a Group 1 winning mare who never had any issues with having enough air pumped into her tyres, but she has been given a few goes now to breakthrough at open company G1 WFA and she’s just not quite there.

The fact the stable have lunged at the chance for some black type here by backing her up week to week tells you they also know that and I’d be pretty disappointed if there wasn’t at least one of the boys that had her covered here on their way up through the grades.

She’s currently a pre-post favourite, but I’d be very surprised if she jumps that, and I don’t have her in my top 3.

10. Lighthouse (3) – $4.20
Jockey – James McDonald
Trainer – C Maher & D Eustace

Having a break out campaign but she’s just missed her past couple when the real quality has started to re-appear. There’s no Tofane in this but she’s got to have travelled, and has to get around on the Sydney leg which is enough to say she’s a little skinny on the second line of betting.

She’s probably going to look the winner at some point and she’s hard fit so the 1400m at Randwick no issue.

Expect she runs top 3, just think there might be one or two better in this.

Final Word

Struggling to split Law of Indices and Private Eye but we’ll go for the European bred colt based solely on the fact that he’s had the one run, which was a very good one, and this track is going to be trying to say the least.

I think they’ll both handle it, and Joe Pride is an absolute master of having his horses fitter than his rival trainers even if they are a little short on ability.


Not sure that is quite the case here with Private Eye being plenty talented but you would have to think the benefit of the first up run, the fact he’s raced on this type of ground back home, and given he clearly has considerable quality about him being a G1 winner back home plus running a good 5th in the Golden Eagle, is enough to say it is right to lean to Law of indices.

Best Canterbury Stakes Tip: 8. Law of Indices – Win ($5.50)
Next Best Canterbury Stakes Tip: 8. Law of Indices & 3. Private Eye – Boxed Exacta
Other Canterbury Stakes Tip: Trifecta – 3, 8/3, 8, 10/3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 | Total – 20 units

If you need more news, information and tips, head over to our Canterbury Stakes page for all your punting needs!

*Odds correct at time of writing, courtesy of Dabble.