Canterbury Stakes 2023

In a hurry? We’ve listed all the quick facts that you need to know about the Canterbury Stakes:

The Canterbury Stakes is a Group 1 race which takes place each year in March. The race in 2023 will be held on Saturday 4th of March at Randwick Racecourse. Looking back to the race in 2022, it was won by Forbidden Love.

As the name might suggest, the Canterbury Stakes, which is now run at Randwick, has had a number of homes over the years. In fact, at one point or another it has been run at all of the main racing venues in Sydney barring Warwick Farm.

It has been run over distances from 1200m to 1500m but seems to have found its niche in the racing calendar at 1300m since 2013 and has found a solid home on Randwick Guineas Day at Royal Randwick since 2014.

In 2013 it was elevated to Group 1 status for the first time.

The Canterbury Stakes is an Australian Group 1 held at Randwick Racecourse, it is one of the first major races to start the Autumn Racing Carnival and the $600,000 prizemoney attached to it means the race brings some of the best horses from across the country (and even the world) to Sydney, while also attracting many of us Aussie who enjoy having a casual punt. Our expert racing tipsters will put together their list of Canterbury Stakes tips to look out for in the leadup to the race.

Given nominations are not yet accepted for the 2023 Canterbury Stakes, it is hard to provide any updates on our tips at this time. However, as the Autumn Racing Carnival starts to hit overdrive, the horses that are targeting this race will become clearer and then we will be able to provide you with our best tips. If you are after Canterbury Stakes horse tips, then we will keep you updated with the horses that are likely to be running, so you can bet on the race with confidence!

We will include the current prices of runners and will keep on top of this for you, bringing you all the details when they come in. When looking for Canterbury Stakes tips, we have indicated some key factors to success in the betting section, which you can find below.

We will list The Sharks’ Canterbury Stakes best tips for the race this year closer to the time of the race. So, make sure you check back on this page for updates!

Canterbury Stakes Tips From Experts

Our tips are not out for the Canterbury Stakes in 2023 as it is too far out from the event. But the good news is that when the final field for the Canterbury Stakes is announced, we will provide guidance on each and every runner.

You will find all this information below, when it becomes available. Stay tuned!

There are a lot of important factors to consider before betting on the Canterbury Stakes. Make sure you have a read on below before you place your bets:

Is Previous Canterbury Stakes Form a Good Indicator of Future Success?

Even though the race and race type conflict heavily with early part of the Melbourne Autumn carnival, the Canterbury Stakes generally attracts a strong field, particularly with recent prize money boosts from Racing New South Wales.

As such, the race has produced some high quality winners. Some of the absolute stars of the turf such as Happy Clapper, More Joyous, Hot Danish and Pierro have all won the race en route to achieving even further Group 1 success. The 2022 winner Forbidden Love had won one other Group 1 before winning the Canterbury Stakes

Should I Bet On The Favourite in the Canterbury Stakes?

Favourites have an outstanding record in the Canterbury Stakes having won 20 times since 1983, including in the 2022 edition of the race, where Forbidden Love won, starting at $2.90.

Formlines from Lead Up Races

Since the race was moved to Randwick in 2014 the form lines leading into the race have been quite mixed. The most prominent being two winners that have won the race first up, while another two have come from The Expressway.

Age

The race is predominantly won by horses 4YOs and up, including in 2022 when 4YO Forbidden Love won the race.

Weight

The race is run under weight for age scale.

Gender

In comparison to other weight for age races, mares have quite a good record here having won six times from 2011 to 2022.

Canterbury Stakes Best Bets

Our Canterbury Stakes best bets for 2023 are not out just yet, make sure you keep an eye out on this page as we will provide more details about our best bets when the final field is announced.

You will find our best bets below once available. Stay tuned!

Well before the official Canterbury Stakes field is released – many Aussie bookies will open early markets, or all-in markets, for Canterbury Stakes betting. We think this is the best time to bet on your favourite horse, as you might be able to bet on the favourite for the 2023 Canterbury Stakes at tasty odds.

As soon as the bookies release their 2023 Canterbury Stakes odds, they will tend to fluctuate pretty much day-by-day, and especially in the days leading up to the big race. Things will also change in the odds when we get a better idea of the type of horses that will be targeting the race, along with their recent form.

If you choose to bet on these early markets, it means you could find the favourite at a price of double digits or more. This means that if your chosen horse ends up winning the Canterbury Stakes, you will get more cash in your back pocket! However, there is increased risk if you choose to go down this path, so make sure you understand what you are getting yourself into.

Depending on when you place your 2023 Canterbury Stakes futures bet, your horse may not end up targeting this race – meaning they don’t even get a run, but you won’t get your money back, this occurs when the market is ‘All-In’ or closer to race day. If you are betting when the market says ‘Before Noms’, then you can rest easy knowing you’ll receive your cash back if your horse doesn’t end up running.

The 2022 Canterbury Stakes odds are not out just yet. Please make sure you check back here closer to race day!

A final field of 9 runner contested the 2022 Canterbury Stakes, with favourite Forbidden Love leading the way at $2.90. Luckily for punters, it was indeed Forbidden Love that won the race. This was her second Group 1 win, and she was able to prove, once again, her ability to perform on a heavy track, where her record now stands at 5:4-0-0, after winning this race.

On the second line of betting was Lighthouse, who performed well for a second place in the CF Orr Stakes a couple of weeks before this race. Before this race she had only raced on a heavy track once, and it was a race she won. Lighthouse has seemed to play the bridesmaid, coming second in two Group 1s (including this one).

On the third line of betting there was Private Eye and Law of Indices, at $5.50. Private Eye hadn’t raced since November, where he came 5th in the Mackinnon Stakes. Last time out, Law of Indices contested the Southern Cross Stakes, and came 5th.

With the 2023 Canterbury Stakes yet to be run and won, let’s have a look back to last year’s race for some key indicators.

The favourite, Forbidden Love, got the chocolates for punters as her experience on a heavy track really came in handy after a ridiculous amount of rain in Sydney. Tactics came into play perfectly and Hugh Bowman put in a typical Hugh Bowman performance to not even be troubled for the win.

No one could really get that close to Forbidden Love and it looks like she had it in the bag from at least the 800m were she was able to keep her first position all the way through to the finishing post.

Lighthouse finished in second, 1.75L behind Forbidden Love. She was able to make some ground but was never really able to put any pressure on the favourite. In third place, it was Private Eye, who was making a charge late, but ran out of metres and ended up being well beaten, 4.16L behind Forbidden Love. Despite only 9 runners in the field, it was fairly spread out, with Dice Roll finishing in last place, 13.55L behind the leader.

You’ve read the words, now watch the video! Have a squiz below at the 2022 Canterbury Stakes race:

Canterbury Stakes Winners

The results for the upcoming Canterbury Stakes are not yet available, but in the meantime, you can have a look below at all the recent past winners: