Australian Racing: Wednesday 26 May 2021 – Canterbury Park

Race 4

OSAMU showed solid improvement to finish second in his penultimate start over six furlongs and then went one better to win next time out over the same c&d by nearly half a length. The gelding hit the front at the 250M mark that day and then held off all the late challengers. He has a handy draw three and will have 2kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice.

FASTCONI is seldom far off the action and finished second in his latest outing over 1300M, just a head back from the winner. He came the widest into the home straight that day, but still finished off his race strongly. He has his peak run here after returning from a 19-week break and whilst having the widest draw of them all in gate ten, he should be doing his best work late.

ZOU DE MOON is a 3yr old filly taking on the boys, but she has only had the two runs to date, winning on debut over 1100M and then finishing a short-head second next time out when stepping up to 1300M. The form of that race has been franked and although she returns from a 21-week rest, she has put in two encouraging barrier trials to showcase her well-being. She jumps from gate five and should give the males a good run for their money.

Race 5

Today’s value bet, O’MUDGEE has consistent formlines to his name and has finished second in his last two outings over seven furlongs, both 0.8L behind the winner. He was making good late progress in both of those races and notwithstanding his wide-ish draw eight, he could go one better today.

CHERVIL is a 4yr old filly taking on males and who won her penultimate start over five furlongs when returning from a lengthy 40-week absence and then went on to finish second next time out over 1300M, 1.3L back from the victor. She was hampered in the early stages of that contest but stayed on well over the latter stages. She has gate five which will do her no harm and should be right up there when they hit the line.

RANGES has pulled gate seven and showed marked improvement in his last two outings, winning the latest over six furlongs by a short-head. He battled all the way down to the wire that day and a repeat of that effort would make him a big runner in the line-up.

Race 6

VIGOROUS FLOW followed up his penultimate run victory over a mile with a fourth spot finish next time out over nine furlongs, 2.3L adrift of the winner. He came three-wide into the home straight that day and then had to be eased at the 50M mark, so should have finished closer to the victor than he is officially recorded. He jumps from draw five and could be the one that they all have to beat.

RAPTURES is a 4yr old filly taking on boys, but she also won her penultimate start, in her case over 1900M and then went on to finish third next time out over this c&d, just over a length and a half back from the winner. She stayed on well that day and from gate seven, she should keep the top choice honest.

SIR AGLOVALE has solid staying form to his credit and finished fifth last time out when dropping down to a mile, 3.7L behind the winner when returning from a 23-week absence. He did not get the clearest of passages in the straight that day, so did well to get as close to the winner as he did. He faces a wide draw twelve, but he gets the extra ground today, which should be to his liking and he should be included in all bets.

Race 7

CADENABBIA’S record of five runs for two firsts and one second-place finish speaks for itself and he posted one of those wins last time out over 1300M, winning by a head when returning from a 13-week rest. He ran down the leaders over the closing stages to get up to claim victory in the shadow of the post. He will have to negotiate draw eight, but he is taken to be the best bet on the card.

NYAMI overraced in the early and middle stages before staying on well to end up in fifth place last time out over 1500M, one length behind the winner. He is drawn one inside the top pick and could emerge as his biggest danger.

TIM’S PRINCIPAL showed solid improvement to win his latest outing over seven furlongs, by 0.8L. He finished strongly that day and whilst drawn wide in gate eleven, on the plus side he will get 3kgs removed from his allocated weight courtesy of his claiming apprentice.