The Canterbury Stakes has been good for an upset or two in its time, and another excellent edition of the Group 1 feature will be run and won at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
It has also been won by some resounding favourites, and we look to have one of those on our hands this year in Kiwi raider Imperatriz, who will make her first Australian appearance this week.
I’ve dug deep into the form of every galloper engaged, and you can find my complete 2023 Canterbury Stakes Tips below!
Suggested Bets
- 5 Units straight out #2 Artorius
- Boxed Trifecta of the selections below
Canterbury Stakes – Winner
His long run of outs is due to expire, and I think that Artorius will leave Randwick on Saturday the Canterbury Stakes winner.
It has been two years now since the outstanding son of Flying Artie came from nowhere to win the Neds Blue Diamond, and that was actually the last time he saluted at any level!
Since then, however, he has repeatedly proven that he is up to the highest level of racing, and he was very impressive, if not luckless in a couple of Group 1 placings in the UK last year.
A recent trial was slick and I actually don’t think there’s a better Group 1 race on the calendar for him!
Suggested Bet: No. 2 Artorius
Canterbury Stakes – 2nd
I thought that the three-year-old Golden Mile was an interestingly inclusion in the Canterbury Stakes field, particularly when he could have gone towards a Randwick or Australian Guineas.
The Astern colt stamped himself as one to watch during last year’s Spring Carnival, winning the Ming Dynasty early on and ultimately working towards a maiden win at the highest in the Neds Caulfield Guineas.
He was well beaten by Mariamia in the Expressway Stakes, but she was the only horse that did beat him home that day, and this bloke is unbeaten at this point of his preparation.
Suggested Bet: No. 11 Golden Mile
Canterbury Stakes – 3rd
I am almost always more than happy to take on a New Zealand sprinter on debut in Australia, and I’m making no exception for Imperatriz.
It is fair to say that she has been outstanding across the ditch, winning twelve of seventeen starts and placing a further two times, but there are better horses engaged in the Canterbury Stakes field than what she usually has to tackle.
James McDonald is obviously a big tick, and while she may make me look silly this week, I’m happy to watch her go around.
Suggested Bet: No. 8 Imperatriz
Canterbury Stakes – 4th
The old warhorse launches his Autumn Carnival campaign in the Canterbury Stakes, and there’s no real reason why he too can’t be in the finish!
Cascadian is a multiple Group 1 winner, and he continued to prove that he is still more than capable during his recent spring prep, recording wins in the Hill Stakes and the Craven Plate, while also only just being denied by some of the country’s best horses, in some of the country’s best races.
He’s had a trial in the lead-up to this return, and he’ll surely be as honest as ever.
Suggested Bet: No. 1 Cascadian