Australian Racing: Wednesday 21 April 2021 – Canterbury Park

Race 5

A 3yr old and a 4yr old filly can fight out the finish to this race and complete the exacta, but the day’s value bet, MOLLYCODDLE is taken to lead the pack home. She has won two of her last three runs, the latest being a 1.3L victory over 1300M, despite being held up between the 400M – 200M mark. The form of that race has stood up well with three runners subsequently winning. She returns from a 15 week break, but has had the benefit of a barrier trial to showcase her well-being and from a handy gate three, she should be right up there when they hit the line. VAN GIZ is drawn one inside the top choice and followed up her penultimate run win over five furlongs with a fourth place finish next time out over six furlongs, just over a length behind the winner. She was making good late progress that day and has her peak run here after returning from a 39 week absence. OCEAN EMPEROR was hampered shortly after the start, but stayed on well to end up in fourth place last time out over 1100M, 3.3L back from the victor. He has a wideish draw seven, but should keep the top two fillies honest.

Race 6

BLESK had finished second in his two runs since returning from a 23 week break before going on to win his next start by one and a half lengths over the mile journey. He hit the front at the 150M pole that day and then proceeded to draw away from the field to record a comfortable victory. He jumps from gate eight, but he is likely to race in a handy position once again and if showing the same turn of foot in the home straight, he could be difficult to topple. As such, he is made the best bet on the card. TECTONICUS went from jump to wire to put five and a half lengths between himself and the trailing pack last time out over a mile. He has a cozy draw two and could prove difficult to reel in over the latter stages and could emerge as the biggest danger to the top pick. SHIBLI has only had the three runs to date and won over eleven furlongs at the second time of asking. He was immediately rested for a lengthy 59 weeks and then finished fifth over a clearly too short six furlongs on his return, but he was just under a length behind the winner that day, so that effort was encouraging. He jumps from gate four and will certainly appreciate the extra ground on offer today.

Race 7

This looks a tricky affair and some caution is suggested. The tentative first choice goes to SOLAR APEX who is seldom too far off the action and overraced before ending up in second place in his latest start over nine furlongs, 1.3L adrift of the winner. The form of that race has been franked and from his draw four, he could be the one to side with in this line-up. SO WICKED is a 6yr old mare taking on the boys, but she has shown solid improvement in her last two runs, the latest when finishing third over 1500M, just over three lengths behind the winner, despite coming wide into the home straight. She was friendless in the betting markets that day, but battled all the way down to the wire. She is drawn the widest of them all in gate eleven, but she should not be easily discounted. KARMAZONE was hampered shortly after the start and then had to be steadied off the heels of other runners at the 1000M pole before finishing eleventh over seven furlongs, just under five lengths back from the winner. Under the circumstances, that effort is best ignored. Given better luck in running today, he should be included in all bets.

Race 8

Even with the late scratching of four runners, finding the winner has not been made easier, so, as with the previous contest, some caution is advised. KOBE ROCKS has only had the four runs to date, winning over six furlongs on debut and then showing solid improvement in winning again by just under half a length over the same trip in his latest outing. He returns from a 22 week break, but has posted two encouraging barrier trials, finishing second in the first and winning the latest. He will have to negotiate draw eight, but should be right up there in the mix. GRAVINA won by 1.3L over this distance in his penultimate start and then finished second last time out over 1100M, two and a half lengths behind the winner when returning from a lengthy 58 week absence. He attracted plenty of betting support that day, but raced four wide on the turn. He has pulled a wide draw eleven, but he should be doing his best work late. BORN A WARRIOR only saw daylight at the 180M mark before finishing strongly to end up in second spot last time out over 1300M, just a neck off the victor. From gate six, he should be considered a big runner here.