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By Ray Hickson

Tips and race by race preview by Ray Hickson for Friday night’s Canterbury Park meeting. The track is expected to be good and the rail is out 6m.

Another one of these small three-year-old fields and I could realistically make a case for all five runners so tread carefully. 2. Destiny’s Own has some good form around him with a win over this course in October and a last start third behind the very smart Unforgotten. The latter run probably should read a second as he was held up at a vital stage and arguably runs second in another couple of strides. Likely box seats from the inside gate and if the run comes he’ll be hard to beat.

Dangers: 1. Higher Ground got the job done with the blinkers on first time over this course on November 17. He sat last and swept down the outside unimpeded. Likely he’ll be back there again in this event and may not have the same tempo but hard to knock him. 3. Cajetan gave a decent sight in front running second to Unforgotten, finishing just ahead of Destiny’s Ownat his second run back. Starting to put it together, should lead and could take catching. 4. Savacool was a $21 chance when she won on debut at Newcastle so it’ll be interesting to see how she backs that up and 5. Youngstar started $12 in the same race and was only getting warm late so could be an improver.

How to play it: Destiny’s own WIN ($3.80 TAB Fixed Odds); Quinella with Higher Ground.

Destiny’s Own’s closing third behind Unforgotten at Rosehill – November 11

A number of first starters and horses resuming so keep an eye on the betting. That said I thought the latest trial of 7. Patrina was excellent and she should perform well despite the wide gate. She showed plenty of speed to lead the 740m trial and was in cruise mode from the time she found the fence. I’d be surprised if she doesn’t cross them and give a good sight.

Dangers: 3. Puppet Master showed promise in his first preparation and hasn’t raced since his close fourth at Warwick Farm in August where he was tightened up right on the line and Rachel King was dislodged. Easy trial winner, given a bit of a test, recently and is a good chance. 1. Gretzky is worth keeping very safe. Only had the one start and ran last behind Assimilate and Dracarys in July. Gelded since then and comes back to a maiden. He has had an unofficial trial in Melbourne on November 17 and he basically went around the outside fence under a hold so it’s hard to get a good line on him. 8. Seasons attacked the line in good style in her latest trial at Randwick, where she ran a close third over 1050m. Wouldn’t surprise to see her show up.

How to play it: Patrina WIN ($3.30 TAB Fixed Odds).

Patrina’s easy barrier trial win at Randwick - November 16

This is it. D-Day of all D-Days for 1. Dixie Chick who looks to have a mortgage on this race if her excellent second-up effort at the last night meeting, in a similar race, is to be believed. She was no match for Noire but found the line quite well to run into third place. She hasn’t won since late March of 2016 despite threatening to on a few occasions. Again drawn well and there looks to be enough speed to give her the chance to run over the top. It’s hard to make a case to back her again if she can’t take care of this opposition under these conditions.
Punters Intel: Dixie Chick's last 600m of 34.79 last start was second only to the winner.

Dangers: 3. Duchess Padrille is a lightly raced mare resuming since a maiden win at Canterbury in July. Her trials have been very nice leading in and while she’s yet to win first-up and probably wants 1200m she has far fewer convictions than Dixie Chick and has to be respected. 6. Sugar Bella is a really interesting runner first-up for some 16 months and now in the Kris Lees stable. She won her first two starts easily and her only other run was in a solid two-year-old race at Rosehill. Latest trial was handy and while I suspect she wants a bit further and is under the odds, if support comes for her closer to start time she’s a threat. 7. Final Trick led up in a similar race to this on November 22 and stayed on okay to run third in a six horse field. Likely to be in front or on the pace again and could give them something to catch.

How to play it: Dixie Chick WIN ($3.30 TAB Fixed Odds).

Dixie Chick’s much improved third at Canterbury – November 17

With the scratching of Equal Balance it leaves the race wide open for the Queenslander 5. Whypeeo to make it four wins from five starts. He actually kicked off his career with a Ballina win in July and was last seen scoring easily at Doomben as a $1.16 chance. With three scratchings barrier 10 becomes seven and it doesn't look so tricky. He has the pace to get across and so far in his career when he's led he's been too good.

Dangers: 2. Prince Mayted is one of those honest country sprinters and he would only have to repeat the effort that took him into third place in a good form race, behind Satirical Magic and Fanning, two starts back to be in the finish. 8. Trust Me raced consistently last time in and showed some improvement second-up behind Marble at Hawkesbury so might be on the way back. A placing isn’t out of the question. 7. Boyish has hit his straps this time in with a couple of provincial wins. Back to the trials since and while he's bumped into a smart one here there's no reason he couldn't figure in the placings.

How to play it: Whypeeo WIN ($1.75 TAB Fixed Odds).

Whypeeo's debut win at Ballina in July

Reasonably confident 9. Roseito can get the job done with only seven rivals negating some query about her getting around Canterbury. I wouldn’t want her to have to make up a heap of ground in a full field and with barrier four and up to 1550m she shouldn’t be asked to. Well placed when winning first-up at Muswellbrook for a confidence boosting victory then a good effort in a Highway at Rosehill a few weeks back. Lightly raced and yet to put in a bad one. That’s unlikely to change and she should take holding off.

Dangers: 5. Jaunty finally attacked the line like a winner and she ran away from what could be a smart type in Netherlands in breaking through at the last night meeting. Has to handle the step up in class, some do but most don’t so that’s the main worry but on what she showed in winning she has to be a threat. 1. He’s A Given won’t know himself in a BM70 and you have to forgive his run in the Goulburn Cup where he got right back in the field and you couldn’t really make any ground. No surprise to see him improve sharply. 6. Nacho Libre ran a much improved race econd-up behind Cellarman though did have favours from barrier one there. Could go on with it.

How to play it: Roseito WIN ($2.60 TAB Fixed Odds).

Roseito’s closing second in a Highway at Rosehill – November 11

4. Serene Miss is hard to tip against given her impressive second-up win a couple of weeks ago to make it three from three. This race is a harder test for her with a bit more depth but she carries only 1kg more after the claim and has barrier one to ensure she has a soft run early and through the race. She did start $1.70 last time and came up a lot less shorter than I thought she would, even allowing for the better opposition. At her top now and she’s the one they have to beat. Read what trainer Kris Lees had to say here.
Punters Intel: The best part of Serene Miss's latest win was her last 200m which she ran in 11.36.

Dangers: 5. Vega contested the same race second-up off a win at Bathurst and he wasn’t disgraced at all running into fourth place. He meets Serene Miss 4kg better for just over two lengths and if you can get back and finish on down the outside then he could get very close to her. 1. Malaise has only failed once in six starts and that was in a G1 on a heavy 10 so cross that out. Before that he ran second to Hey Doc in a G3 at Flemington and he’s certainly trialled up in good style as a gelding. Where he gets to from the awkward gate is a worry but he’s the class runner. 2. Bratislava went right off the boil at the end of last prep after three very nice runs to kick off. He’s also had two trials and is more than capable of being competitive in this field.

How to play it: Serene Miss WIN ($2.20 TAB Fixed Odds).

Serene Miss makes it three from three at Canterbury – November 17

Good race and I’d expect a reasonable tempo though that doesn’t necessarily make this race any easier. 5. Pick Me Up is shaping up to win a race soon and should enjoy a good run off a favourable gate. Just failed first-up then got a bit too far back before closing late to run fourth behind Pomelo at Rosehill almost a month ago. He was scratched at the barrier at Rosehill on November 18 and had an easy trial six days later. Should run well.

Dangers: 10. Invincible Quest has won four from seven and put them away very easily at Hawkesbury last time after sitting off the speed. Gets that chance again to sit back and hit the line and I can’t overlook him. 9. Satirical Magic is flying this time in and is very hard to knock, especially if the pace is turned on a bit. Beat Fanning two starts back then a dominant winner up to the 1250m. Small concern is the coming back in trip but only a small one. 7. Il Mio Destino had two months between runs and did a bit of work early before holding on to win over the 1250m a month ago. She’ll be up on the pace somewhere and drops 2.5kg which gives her a shot. Read what trainer Richard Litt says about her here.

How to play it: Pick Me Up E/W ($5.00 TAB Fixed Odds).

Pick Me Up’s last start fourth at Rosehill – November 4

Hard way to end the night though I don’t mind the chances of the lightly raced 13. Lightning Nic. First try at the 1900m but there was plenty to like about the way she finished her race off into third behind Baysa at Canterbury over the 1550m. Specked in the market there too. This is certainly no harder, she’s drawn well and that will probably see her settle closer in the run. Assuming she does handle the extra trip it’s a nice race for her.
Punters Intel: Lightning Nic ran easily the fastest last 600m for her race at Canterbury - 35.09.

Dangers: 14. She’s Magical was a bit disappointing in the same race though only finished a length or so behind Lightning Nic there. Two starts ago she chased home Our Belisa at Randwick so if she can get back to that sort of form she’s an each-way hope here. 1. Crosley Hotshot is another coming off just a fair run when a safely held seventh over this course two weeks ago. His previous run was also in the Our Belisa race and he ran on from last there. Could bounce back. 3. Follow Suit attracted a bit of support at odds at his Australian debut but didn’t do a whole lot. Blinkers go on here and up to a more suitable trip he could be an improver though all his NZ form was on wet tracks.

How to play it: Lightning Nic E/W ($4.40 TAB Fixed Odds).

Lightning Nic runs on into third at Canterbury – November 22

All the fields, form and replays for the night meeting at Canterbury Park on Friday