Winning Form share all of their best bets and tips for Friday's racing coming your way from Canterbury Park on 20 January 2023.
Best Bet: LATENIGHTTOUGHGUY (Race 6)
Value Bet: MINOUCHE (Race 4)
Jackpot (race 4 – 7)
1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
7 | 3 | 8 | 1 |
6 | 2 | 5 | 4 |
1 | 5 |
| 7 |
Cost: R54.00
Race 4
MINOUCHE is a 4yr old filly taking on the boys and had solid form prior to disappointing last time out when seventh over seven furlongs, 11.2L adrift of the winner, but her jockey felt that there was something amiss and eased her out of the race. She was immediately rested for 23 weeks and returns here after having had three barrier trials, finishing fourth in the latest to showcase her well-being. Her top trainer is obviously happy with her and from gate seven, she is made the value bet on the day’s card.
TRUE CRIME won over this sprint trip three runs back and then put his disappointing penultimate run over 1300M behind him when finishing second last time out, when returning to the six furlongs, one and a half lengths behind the winner. He was returning from a 21 week break that day and stayed on well after coming the widest of them all into the home straight. From a handy draw three, he should be right up there when they hit the line. FRENCH MARINE followed up his penultimate run victory over 1100M with a second-place finish next time out over 1100M, 1.3L back from the winner. The gelding battled all the way down to the wire that day and will be having his peak run after returning from a 20-week rest. He is drawn wideish in gate eight, but on the plus side, he will have 2kgs taken off his back thanks to his claiming apprentice.
Race 5
WHANGAEHU had his consistency rewarded with a one-and-a-half length victory last time out over 1900M, despite being eased off the heels of other runners at the top of the home straight. He finished strongly on that occasion and from a useful draw two, he will be hoping to chalk up his third career win.
ARNOLD is the stable companion to the top choice and was reported to have suffered from cardiac arrhythmia when finishing ninth last time out over a mile, 5.8l adrift of the victor. He had had a subsequent barrier trial, has pulled gate seven and will have his peak run after returning from an 11-week rest. He makes a solid backup for the powerful Chris Waller yard.
TARAASHOQ has consistent formlines to his credit, finishing second in his latest outing over 1900M, one and a half lengths behind the winner. He came three wide into the home stretch that day and from pole position, he should turn in another honest performance today.
Race 6
The day’s best bet, LATENIGHTTOUGHGUY showed solid improvement to win his last start over five furlongs by just under a half-length, when returning from an 87-week spell, which clearly was just what he needed. He jumped awkwardly that day and then had to be held up at the top of the home straight, so that effort was encouraging. The gelding has pulled a cosy gate three and the fact that his connections brought him back into racing after such a lengthy absence seem to have been justified. He could give the trainer/jockey combination of Chris Waller and James McDonald a quick double.
DISTILLATE is a 5yr old mare taking on males and is drawn one outside the top choice and will have 2kgs removed from her allocated weight courtesy of her claiming apprentice. She missed out on her hat-trick last time out when trying to go from jump to wire, ending up in sixth place over 1100M, 4.8L adrift of the victor. She resumes after a 26-week absence but did win her only barrier trial to prove her fitness.
JULIAN ROCK made good late progress to finish fourth last time out over this c&d, just over a length and a half behind the winner. The gelding gets a useful draw two and should be involved in the finish.
Race 7
ROCKRIBBED is seldom far off the action, finishing third in his last two runs, the latest over seven furlongs, beaten just a head, but it should be noted that he raced three wide without cover that day and was bumped 50M from the winning post, so can be considered an unlucky loser. The gelding will have to negotiate gate eight, but he could provide champion jockey James McDonald with three legs of the day’s Jackpot.
YOSHINO was bumped at the start and came three wide into the home stretch when winning his last start over 1300M by a short-head. He is drawn the widest of them all in gate fourteen, but given his style of racing, 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.
KA BLING showed good improvement to win his last outing over seven furlongs, albeit by just a short-head. He was bumped at the start, but raced just behind the leaders, before hitting the front at the 250M pole and then holding off all the late challengers in the dash down to the wire. He will have to deal with a wide gate nine, but he should use his early gate speed to move across without expending too much energy and should be included in all bets.
