Winning Form share all of their best bets and tips for Sunday’s racing coming your way from Canterbury Park on 1 January 2023.
Best Bet: I AM ME (Race 6)
Value Bet: ESSONNE (Race 7)
Jackpot (race 5 – 8)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
13 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
6 | 9 | 2 | 3 |
4 | 6 | 1 | |
2 | |||
1 |
Cost: R90.00
Race 5
This looks to be a tricky race to start off the day’s Jackpot with plenty of runners in with a realistic chance of finding the winner’s box, so some caution is suggested. The tentative top choice goes to GREBENI who has only had the four runs to date and who followed up his penultimate run victory over a mile with a fourth-place finish next time out when stepping up to 1900M, just under a length back from the winner. He only saw daylight at the 200M mark that day, but finished off his race strongly. From gate seven, he looks to be the one to side with here.
ZOUSON BOY also won his penultimate run, but in his case over 1500M and then ended up in second place next time out over a mile, just over a half-length behind the winner. He jumped awkwardly that day, but recovered quickly to take the lead, only to be run out of it late. It should however be noted that he was reported to have had a speedy cut on his off-side heel. The gelding faces a wide draw seventeen, but he should use his early gate speed to move across without expending too much energy.
TRUST THE PROCESS on the other hand has cracked pole position and showed solid improvement to finish second last time out over a mile, 1.78L back from the winner. He raced three wide without cover in that race, but still battled all the way down to the line and if able to confirm that last effort, he should be included in all bets.
Race 6
I AM ME is a 4yr old filly taking on the boys, but she is a six-time winner from only eleven starts to date and completed her hat-trick when winning her last outing over six furlongs by 1.2L. She was slow away on that occasion, but sat second just behind the leader before sprinting clear at the 250M mark to win easing down at the wire. She is drawn the widest of them all in gate ten, but this should not stop her from completing the quartet of victories and as such, she is made the bets bet on the day’s card.
SPACEBOY won his penultimate start over six furlongs and then finished fourth next time out over the same sprint trip, just a length back from the winner. He showed plenty of toe on that occasion, but did hang out down the home straight. From her kinder draw two and getting the services of apprentice, Zac Lloyd, son of ex-SA champion jockey, Jeff Lloyd, he could be the biggest danger to the top choice.
DRAGONSTONE was hampered shortly after the start and then did not get the clearest of passages in the home straight when finishing twelfth last time out over six furlongs, just over six and a half lengths adrift of the winner, so the effort is best ignored. The gelding has a handy draw four and should be involved in the finish.
Race 7
The day’s value bet, ESSONNE has won three of her last five runs and overraced early, but nevertheless stayed on well when finishing fourth last time out over 1100M, just two lengths back from the winner, when returning from a 21-week break. She gets draw six and will be hoping to bounce back to winning ways to give top jockey Tommy Berry the second and third legs of the day’s Jackpot.
SUPER BRIGHT has finished third in her last two runs, the latest over six furlongs, 0.8L off the winner. She jumped awkwardly that day, finding herself towards the rear of the field and had to be held up between the 400M and 300M marks, so that effort was commendable. The form of that race has also stood up well with two runners out of that contest subsequently winning. From a wide draw eleven, she should be doing her best work late.
TSARINA SOPHIA is two from two, winning over five furlongs on debut and the again over the same sprint trip last time out by just over a half-length, when returning from a 31-week break. She was slow away and bumped shortly after the start that day and despite facing a wideish gate seven, the hat-trick is very much on the cards.
Race 8
VOWMASTER was slow away and found himself at the back of the field before delivering a powerful finish to fail by just a short-head when second last time out over five furlongs. He was returning from an 87-week spell that day and the fact that his connections have brought him back into racing after such a lengthy absence would seem to suggest that they believe that he still has something more to offer them. He is sure to put his cosy draw two to good use.
HE’S A HOTSHOT’S last three runs have yielded two-thirds and the latest, a second-place finish over six furlongs, just under a half-length back from the victor. He is drawn one outside the top pick and will get 2kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice and should turn in another honest performance today.
FOR VALOUR disappointed when never really getting into the race to end up in eleventh spot last time out over seven furlongs, 19.7L adrift of the winner, but that was in very heavy going and he was immediately rested for 25 weeks. He returns here having had the benefit of three barrier trials, winning the latest. He in turn is drawn one outside the latter and should not be lightly dismissed.
