Canterbury Preview & Best Bets – 01/01/2024

Canterbury Tips for Monday, January 1

Our form expert provides Canterbury tips for today’s horse racing at Canterbury Racecourse and gives his best bets.

BEST BET 🏆

Race 6:  No.6  RING AHOY  ($3.40 with bet365)

Chris Waller makes a major gear change to RING AHOY today which could lead to his first win this preparation. Last start, the Sebring gelding came from back in the field to grab second prize in a BM72, here over today’s 1900m journey. Waller puts the blinkers back on today as the four-year-old draws to do no early work in gate one and has Nash Rawiller in the saddle for the first time. Five starts in now so he should be at his peak today. He is down in grade here and has managed three podium finishes in all three starts at the track and distance, so he is overdue for a change of luck.

NEXT BEST 🥈

Race 2:  No.4  EQUIPAGE  ($6.25 with Bet Right)

The James Cummings-trained EQUIPAGE has done everything except win this time in but dropping back in distance today just might do the trick. Last start, the Lonhro filly took over inside the last 300m and looked home for all money but was run down (again) by a swooper and had to settle for second prize in a 1400m Maiden at Kembla Grange. Today’s contest sees the filly drop back 200m as Tommy Berry sticks with her for the assignment. Super fit after three starts back, she maps to settle better than mid-field and with a clear run to the line, the Godolphin filly can break through today.

BEST VALUE 💰 

Race 7:  No.5  ZOU TIGER  ($7.50 with Ladbrokes)

First-up specialist, ZOU TIGER resumes today after a lengthy 31-week break and looks set to put in a big one today. Last start, the Zoustar gelding ended his last campaign finishing unplaced in the Group 3 Fred Best Classic over 1400m at Eagle Farm. Drawn badly that day in gate 13 (of 16), that field proved just a little too rich for him on the day. Since then, he has been gelded and trialled recently with Tommy Berry aboard and fared well, finishing second over the 900m run. The John O’Shea-trained four-year-old draws gate six and maps to settle in the first half dozen. Yet to miss a top-two finish after three previous first-up appearances, Tommy Berry has the job of keeping that record intact today.