Australian racing tips – Friday 15 December 2023 – Canterbury

Best Bet: HEAD OF THE HERD (Race 6)
Value Bet: CHILLI FILLY (Race 8)

Jackpot (race 5 – 8)

Cost: R54.00

Race 5

VENETIAN BLUE followed up her penultimate run victory over 2130M with a fifth-place finish next time out when dropping down to seven furlongs, 3.7L back from the winner when returning from a 19-week rest. She tried to go from jump to wire that day and from her wideish draw eight, she is likely to attempt similar tactics today.

SENSORY has cracked pole position and won her maiden race by 1.3L last time out over this C&D at the third time of asking, this despite being bumped at the start and again at the 300M mark and coming four wide into the home straight, before finishing off her race well. She takes on stronger here, but she may well be up to the task at hand.

KENYADA is the stable companion to the latter who won by 1.8L on debut over 1500M, after having had four barrier trials. She jumped awkwardly and overraced in the early stages that day before shifting out over the final 100M, so that effort was encouraging. She would have learnt from that experience and with the natural improvement that can be expected and from gate six, she makes a solid back-up for the powerful Chris Waller yard.

Race 6

HEAD OF THE HERD has won two of his last four starts, the latest over 1500M by putting three and a half lengths between himself and the opposition. The colt went from gun to tape that day and the result was never in doubt from the entrance to the home straight. He gets a handy draw three and is taken to be the best bet on the day’s card to give the training partnership of Gai Waterhouse/Adrian Botts and jockey Tim Clark the first two legs of the Jackpot.

BUILLT won over this c&d last time out, albeit by just a short-head. He delivered a powerful finish to get up in the shadow of the post and the form of that race has stood up well with two runners out of that contest subsequently winning. The gelding will have to negotiate draw eight, but he is likely to be dropped out of it in the early stages and then start to pick off the front runners over the latter part of the race.

TARAASHOQ raced up with the leaders but did not quite go on with his effort when finishing sixth last time out over seven furlongs, 3.7L back from the winner. He was returning from a 22-week absence that day and the form of that race has been franked. The gelding is drawn one inside the latter and should be involved in the finish.

Race 7

SHINES won his penultimate start over six furlongs and then finished fourth next time out over the same sprint trip, just over two and a half lengths behind the winner. The gelding returns from a 16-week rest, but did win his only barrier trial to prove his fitness. From a useful gate four, he will be hoping to bounce back to winning ways today.

DIAMOND DIESEL also won his penultimate outing over six furlongs and then had to be steadied off the heels of another runner at the 1000M mark, before bumping another contestant at the 50M pole, to end up in fourth spot last time out over 1300M, 1.8L adrift of the victor. The gelding has his first run after a 20-week break but has had two barrier trials, finishing second in the latest. Whilst drawn the widest of them all in gate ten, he should be doing his best work late.

MOETTA is a 7-year-old mare taking on the boys, but she is seldom far off the action, winning her penultimate start over six furlongs and then finishing fifth next time out over the same trip, two and a half lengths back from the winner. She will have 2kgs taken off her back thanks to her claiming apprentice and is sure to put her pole position to good use and as such, she should be included in all bets.

Race 8

A 3-year-old and two 4-year-old fillies could fight out the finish to this race and complete the trifecta, but the day’s value bet, CHILLI FILLY is taken to lead the field home. She won first time out over six furlongs and then finished third next time out over 1100M, 1.8L adrift of the victor when returning from an 11-week rest. She jumped awkwardly in that event, bumping another runner and was then bumped again at the 200M mark, so she had her excuses. She has pulled a cozy draw four and could prove hard to topple.

ROTORUA put her disappointing penultimate start over five furlongs behind her to win by 1.3L next time out over six furlongs, notwithstanding coming four wide into the home stretch. She has since moved to another stable and has had two barrier trials, winning the latest. The filly has a wideish gate eight and now has her first run for her new trainer. If fully settled into her new surroundings, she should give a good account of herself here.

ROCKETEER GIRL won her penultimate start over six furlongs and then finished fifth next time out over the same sprint trip, just under five and a half lengths behind the winner, but she jumped awkwardly and was reported to have not acted in the heavy going in that contest so that effort should be ignored. She has a wide draw thirteen, but on the plus side, she will have 2kgs removed from her allocated weight courtesy of her claiming apprentice.