Tips and race-by-race guide for Canterbury on Monday

Track soft 5 and rail true.

Race 1

6. Miss Scandal is primed to break through second-up in her first full prep for the Chris Waller stable. Disappointed on debut, after being backed from $2.70 into $2.35, but finished in the worst part of the track on heavy ground. Has drawn better here with a 2kg weight drop on a firmer surface. Stablemate 8. Satin Serenade is a filly by UK superstar Frankel ready to make her debut after two trials with gear additions. Has drawn the inside. 4. Extremely Chic will relish the extra ground and firmer track, having hit the line well on debut in heavy going. 2. Excelluna can peak fourth-up from a softer draw, where she can settle right behind the speed. 5. Idmiston, a Cranbourne-based first starter by I Am Invincible, heads the rest.
How to play it: Miss Scandal to win.

Race 2

A colt by Zoustar, 6. Klocke can hit the ground running on debut for the Waller stable in a tough and wide juvenile race for the boys, most of which will face the starter for the first time. Progressed through two trials, powering home to win the latest with something in hand. Drawn to find a trail off the fence, looks a smart one in the making, and was scratched from both last Wednesday’s Warwick Farm meeting and Randwick on Saturday to be aimed at this. 12. The Machine Gun is a colt by 2021 Golden Slipper winner Stay Inside and has been given plenty of education at the trials, winning the latest at the provincials over 1000m. 2. Dominator is a second-start improver with blinkers going on. Keep safe both 13. Ultimate Warrior, by Microphone and debuts behind three improving trials, and 14. Zeitgeist, a colt by Wootton Bassett, despite drawing wide.
How to play it: Klocke to win.

Race 3

The very progressive 1. Hello Captain can go on his winning way for the Waller camp to make it three wins from four starts, second-up this prep. Backed from $2.30 in to $1.95, zoomed home to beat a handy BM 64 field in heavy going 19 days ago. Another that bypassed Warwick Farm last week to be set for this. The one to beat, despite climbing to 62kg. 7. Roma Green is unbeaten, and a big betting watch resuming for the Bjorn Baker stable from a low draw off two progressive trials. Gap to the rest headed by 8. Wootton Way, which hit the line hard from well back at this track third-up; while 2. Airworthy is over the odds second-up coming through that same race as the former.
How to play it: Hello Captain to win.

Race 4

9. Wounder is well placed to pay back punters, dropping to her lightest weight this prep and significantly in trip, too. Has finished behind the placegetters in her last two as a well-backed favourite, but she’s very fit and is drawn to get to the outside over a more suitable trip. 1. Deepwater Artist is a hard-fit Canberra four-year-old that deserves a shot at metropolitan success. Dug in hard to win a handy BM 68 at Newcastle three weeks ago, and the runner-up in that race then bolted in on Saturday. 2. Helen’s Way is an improver and right in the mix fourth-up, with a gear change. 3. Ballpark can improve sharply third-up. 4. Rach comes off a strong BM 64 provincial win deep into her prep, and 7. Lipstick goes in all exotic plays.
How to play it: Wounder to win.

Race 5

5. Format worked home OK behind a smart one when he resumed here 12 days ago. Gets out to a more suitable distance on a firmer surface, while the removal of blinkers is a key pointer from the stable. 4. Allegro Miss hit the line hard fourth-up at this track, but would prefer it wetter. 8. Lots Of Love is tracking towards a second career win after a fair closing effort in a handy country Class 1, but still under the odds at this metro level. 1. Luskaire, which is honest and gets a vital 3kg claim to off-set the weight, and 3. Sting In The Tail, third-up over further, are both capable of running into the money.
How to play it: Format to win.

Race 6

3. Audrey’s Lane is a tough and consistent provincial that will step up a shade in trip for a race with less depth, and deep into her prep. Was placed three times after winning a similar race at Rosehill mid-March, before doing it tough through traffic in a deeper Saturday Midway BM 72. Importantly, blinkers come off, and she gets in very well at the weights after the jockey’s 3kg allowance. 4. Lennox is drawn to run a big race fresh behind two improving trials. 8. Louie’s Legacy is a value chance third-up for a Canberra yard that has a handy strike rating in town. Loves dry ground and has a solid record over this sort of distance. 1. The Creator handles all going and is ready to peak fourth-up; while 5. Tenderize is the best of the rest.
How to play it: Audrey’s Lane to win.

Race 7

12. Istolea Merc is a smart and still lightly raced five-year-old ready to resume after two trials in a very open sprint with many chances. Has a sharp fresh record, gets right down in the weights for this rise in grade, and loves drying ground. Another preferred here to Randwick on Saturday. 11. Memoria is a talented mare and big watch that will resume for the Kris Lees stable off a sharp trial win. 5. World Alliance was excellent from the back against the pattern when he resumed from a long break in Saturday BM 78 class. Given a month since via a trial, but has to overcome the outside draw. 14. Crepe Myrtle hasn’t been far away in three runs back at BM 78 level. More depth here and drawn wide, but blinkers go on. 1. Storm The Ramparts returns off two progressive trials at big odds. Comes to hand quickly but still faces a big task from a wide barrier under a big weight. 4. Chinqui is also first-up off two improving trials. 15. Snack Bar is a stablemate of the top selection and can run a big race second-up on firmer ground.
How to play it: Istolea Merc to win.

Race 8

12. Pentagon is a lightly raced four-year-old returning for just his second prep for the Baker yard in another open affair. Was close-up in two provincial runs late last year after crossing the Tasman, drawn to find a trail, and has been fitted with two progressive trials. 8. Tuscany is a progressive three-year-old and a big threat. He’s won two of his last three at the provincials, but this is a decent step-up. 1. Mafia reloads off a tough all-the-way win second-up on the Kensington track and has also bypassed Randwick on Saturday. 4. Rimbaud is well over the odds fourth-up. 3. Love Shuck has been in and around the money this prep, but will need to find a length or two under a big weight against deeper metropolitan opposition. 11. Alphard is a minor money player rising in grade third-up.
How to play it: Pentagon to win.

Best bets

Race 3: (1) Hello Captain.
Race 8: (12) Pentagon

Best value

Race 4: (9) Wounder

Supplied by Racing NSW