Looking for some midweek form? tab.com.au bring you the best bets across Australia for Wednesday’s racing.
WEDNESDAY’S BEST
Canterbury Race 7 No.3 Tarabai (Kerrin McEvoy) – $4.60
Tarabai’s a mare I’ve certainly got some time for, and her lone three-year-old campaign proved she was a galloper with decent ability and a fair share of upside. During that campaign she notched two wins from four starts, including a very comprehensive one in town at the midweeks.
She was first up as a mare at this track a fortnight ago and looked in need of the run. After sitting without cover she had to chase early and stuck on gamely late when not beaten that far by Our Dasha. There’s no doubt Tarabai would have come out of that effort all the better for it on the fitness front.
This is a similar grade race. Tarabai’s bound to get a very soft run from barrier two and probably sit just off what should be a solid pace. A few of her dangers in this race have drawn wide, and she will be able to show her class if she gets the room in the straight when needed. If she can do that, a Saturday race may be on the cards.
AROUND THE GROUNDS
Canterbury Race 2 No.5 So Taken (Kerrin McEvoy) – $8
It’s not unusual for Chris Waller to get his hands on a filly with ability from New Zealand, and it may well prove to be another case of it here. The daughter of Street Boss, So Taken is set to debut for Sydney’s leading stable off the back of two highly encouraging trials.
In the care of the Rogerson yard back home, So Taken looked a filly in need of race experience after doing some things wrong in her first two starts. However, despite being unplaced in both she wasn’t beaten that far on either occasion.
Her two trials here for Waller have made me sit up and take notice. She’s won both but the second win in particular, where she was under a little pressure late while a few around her were given rev-ups, was eye-catching indeed.
She’s struck an average lot of fellow three-year-old fillies for a carnival-time midweek event. I’ve definitely seen better fields in this type of grade at recent Wednesday meetings, and that gives her a great chance to kick off her Aussie career in style at nice odds.
Sandown (Hillside) Race 1 No.6 Smiling City (Jordan Childs) – $5.50
Very well supported on debut, So You Think gelding Smiling City put in a rock solid effort behind the impressive Approach Discreet, despite not much going right for him. It should be noted Approach Discreet has inserted himself into the Caulfield Guineas picture with a nine length demolition job in Adelaide last Saturday.
Smiling City was slowly away in his debut and raced wide and hard for most of the trip, albeit with some cover.
Although he could be better over longer distances he stays at the same trip for this event, and does draw much better this time as well. Jordan Childs sticks, and that debut experience would have done him the world of good.
I don’t think he would have to improve too much off that run to be going close here. Sure, there are some other nice types in the race but not any stars, and I feel good about Smiling City getting the biccies at his second start.
OVER THE ODDS
Canterbury Race 5 No.6 Scream Park (Hugh Bowman) – $13
Scream Park could have been a Rosehill Guineas-type after convincingly winning two straight at Warwick Farm during his grades as a December three-year-old.
However, in a somewhat strange move he was aimed at the rich Karaka Classic three-year-old race in New Zealand, rather than an immediate spell and possible Autumn campaign. Unfortunately, that strategy failed to pay dividends as he performed poorly in New Zealand, and any hope of a potential Carnival start was ruined.
Scream Park has now had two runs back as a four-year-old, and both times he raced like a horse in desperate need of some more ground. He gets to the 1550m here, and while I believe that’s the bare minimum he wants I do think he’s got a little bit of class. There’s still some upside and he maps to get a good trail behind a speed that should be genuine with Gauguin and Falcon Island up front.
Be happy to take the double figures on offer and see where he really is this time around, because his best is good enough to be right in the finish.
QUADDIE SELECTIONS
Leg 1 – 1,2,5,7,8,10
Leg 2 – 2,4,6
Leg 3 – 3,4,6,8
Leg 4 – 3,9
($100 = 69.44%)
Leg 1 – 1,3,5,7
Leg 2 – 1,3,4,6,7
Leg 3 – 4,10,13,14
Leg 4 – 3,4,12,13
($100 = 31.25%)