Canterbury Tips 01/02/2023
Our form expert provides Canterbury tips for today’s horse racing at Canterbury Racecourse and gives his best bets.
BEST BET 🏆
Race 7: No.4 THE GREAT HOUDINI ($5.50 with bet365)
Team Hawkes saddle-up THE GREAT HOUDINI here who is second-up and should be hard to beat in this contest. Last start, the Written Tycoon gelding resumed off a lengthy six-month break when he finished just behind the placegetters in a BM72 Hcp over 1100m on a heavy Rosehill track. Despite missing the money that day, he ran out the last 600m, 9.5 lengths quicker than benchmark, the best in this line-up by more than 2 lengths. He covered the entire journey, 4.3 lengths quicker than standard, setting a new personal best. The stable have booked Brett Prebble here who will be having his first ride for the stable and from gate six, the four-year-old maps to settle in the back-half of the field. The conditions will suit after winning his maiden on debut at Geelong on a Heavy 10 that day. A trouble-free run here should see him finishing strongly as he will appreciate the extra ground. He is a genuine contender here.
NEXT BEST 🥈
Race 5: No.6 KARLSTAD ($3.90 with Palmerbet)
The Chris Waller-trained KARLSTAD is three starts back from a four-month break and now looks ready to produce his best today. Last start, the Sacred Falls gelding had no luck when finishing just behind the placegetters in a BM72 Hcp, here over 1550m. Blocked for a run, he found clean air but the leaders had too much on him that day. He ran his last 600m, 5 lengths quicker than benchmark, second-best here behind field legend. Nash Rawiller jumps aboard for the first time today and he boasts a 20% success rate with the Waller stable. The five-year-old steps up to a more suitable distance here (having already won twice over 1800m) and has won and placed three times on wet tracks, so today’s conditions will suit. He maps to settle mid-field from gate four and rock-hard fit now, he should give us a bold sight.
BEST VALUE 💰
RAce 4: No.1 DYNAMIC IMPACT ($4.20 with Palmerbet)
The Bjorn Baker-trained DYNAMIC IMPACT is third-up today and unbeaten at the track, looks the testing material again. Last start, the Real Impact gelding came off a first-up win, here in a BM72 contest when he (again) failed at a second-up run in a BM78 Hcp at Rosehill. Despite missing a podium finish that day, he still ran out his last 600m, 8.7 lengths quicker than benchmark, the best last-start effort here. Jason Collett returns for this ride (after steering him to victory once previously) and already a winner when third-up, the five-year-old looks right in this contest.