We are set for one of the most exciting races of the Autumn Carnival when nine sprinters step out in Saturday’s Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Royal Randwick.
The Canterbury Stakes typically draws an open field and the 2018 edition of the race is no exception, as there is a case to be made for literally all nine horses. There is subsequently value around every runner in betting and at the time of publish, Clearly Innocent is the $4.70 favourite.
Clearly Innocent stamped himself as a horse to follow while under the care of then Scone-based trainer Greg Bennett in 2016; winning five races in succession including both the Country Championship Final (1400m) and Listed Luskin Star Stakes (13000m).
He has undoubtedly gone to another level since transferring to the care of Kris Lees, however and successfully defended his crown in the Luskin Star in 2017 before breaking through for a maiden win at the highest level in the Group 1 Darley Kingsford Smith (1300m) in Brisbane.
The son of Not A Single Doubt was hampered for a run and severely checked in the Group 3 Southern Cross Stakes (1200m) first-up this time, but will have taken plenty of benefit from the hit-out and will relish the conditions of the Canterbury Stakes.
Stable mate Invincible Gem will resume in the Canterbury Stakes and is currently our market mover, having firmed $8 into $7.50 on Wednesday morning.
The I Am Invincible mare has great first-up form and resumed in spring for a comfortable win in the Group 2 Missile Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.
Popular gelding Happy Clapper ($5) has been set for his third-consecutive appearance in the Doncaster Mile and will resume in the Canterbury Stakes.
The son of Teofilo came within strides of delivering trainer Pat Webster a Group 1 title several times from 2015 onwards, but he finally managed the breakthrough in the Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick in spring.
Happy Clapper ended his campaign by running second in the Group 3 Craven Plate (2000m), sixth behind Winx in the Cox Plate (2040m) and second in the Group 1 Emirates Stakes (2000m), and has trialled well in the lead-up to his first-up assignment on Saturday.
This is short of Happy Clapper’s best, but he is one of the class horses of the Canterbury Stakes field and it would not be a surprise to see him in the winner’s stall.
Leading trainer Chris Waller will launch a two-pronged attack in the Canterbury Stakes in in the form of Endless Drama ($6) and Foxplay ($8.50).
Endless Drama was unable to make much of an impact during his debut Australian preparation in 2017, but he has returned to the races a well-adjusted horse this time and is ready to peak third-up in the Canterbury Stakes.
The Lope De Vega entire worked home well to finish third in the Listed Carrington Stakes (1400m) first-up, before storming home to win the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) most-recently on February 17th.
Foxplay shook off the cobwebs when she ran on for third in the Group 2 Millie Fox Stakes (1300m) a fortnight ago and will be far-more effective second-up.
The daughter of Foxwedge came within a whisker of delivering Winx her first defeat for more than two years in the Group 2 Warwick Stakes (1400m) in spring and at her best, has a clear edge over several runners in this field.
Global Glamour ($6), Showtime ($7.50), Tulip ($13) and Derryn ($26) complete the 2018 Canterbury Stakes field.