This is a fascinating edition of the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes. Half the field are already group 1 winners in Trapeze Artist, Kementari, Shoals and Prompt Response. The Hawkes team have won the race 4 times in the past 21 years and they will be looking to win the race with their three year old, Brutal. My 2019 Canterbury Stakes Tips can be found below.
Shoals is a three time Group 1 winner and she is capable of performing at a high rating on her day. She has an excellent record fresh and last time she was first up she flew passed Trapeze Artist to only be beaten by Santa Ana Lane a neck.
In the past 21 years there have been six three year olds win this race from only 24 runners and a further six place. That is a hard stat to ignore and I think Brutal can run a race here. His first up run against the older horses at Randwick was full of merit and he will take improvement from that run.
He is an imposing and talented horse but he always finds a way to get beat this guy. He returned this prep with a fast finishing second in the C.F Orr Stakes at Caulfield and will again get every chance from barrier 3 with James McDonald steering.
I think they’ve worked this guy out after attempting to tackle the Epsom Handicap last Spring. They dropped him back to sprinting distances after that Epsom run and he brained them in the Sydney Stakes. He was then narrowly denied a Group 1 in the VRC Sprint down the Flemington straight. This is a good test for the horse first up and I think he has the talent to mix it at Group 1 level all Autumn.