Timeform Ratings expert Adam Blencowe has Cosmic Endeavour on top of his 2015 Canterbury Stakes tips and he believes that the talented mare should be favourite in betting markets for the Group 1 event at Royal Randwick tomorrow.
Cosmic Endeavour is one of the horses to beat in the 2015 Canterbury Stakes. Photo by: Daniel Costello
Catkins and Cosmic Endeavour are currently clear favourites in Canterbury Stakes betting markets and Blencowe told RSN that he believes that the two mares are the horses to beat, but he feels that Cosmic Endeavour has the edge over her rival and will be at peak fitness after performing well in both the Group 3 Triscay Stakes (1200m) at Royal Randwick on February 14 and the Group 3 Guy Walter Stakes (1400m) at Warwick Farm last Saturday.
“I think that with race fitness on their side the market is right in zoning down on those two good mares,” Blencowe said.
“They are both race fit, but I have them split the other way and I think that Cosmic Endeavour should be favourite.
“Catkins has longevity and consistency in her favor, but I think that Cosmic Endeavour is as good if not better than her and the run last week was terrific.
“The only other time she backed-up she a winner and I think that Cosmic Endeavour deserves to be a favourite in the race.”
The majority of horses in the 2015 Canterbury Stakes will be having the first race start of their 2015 Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival campaign and Blencowe feels that these horses are tough to analyse heading into this race.
Blencowe believes that Sacred Falls and Royal Descent are the two most talented horses in the Canterbury Stakes, but he feels that John Thompson-trained Hooked may be the most likely horse to cause an upset in the Group 1 event.
“The first seven are all first-up and they are all not really first-up horses,” Blencowe said.
“Sacred Falls and Royal Descent are the best two horses in the race, but they improve with racing and Sacred Falls is a real third-up sort of mile horse.
“He is a high class horse and the same can be said of Royal Descent, so you wouldn’t discount them.
“Hooked is an interesting horse.
“He ran a really good race in an Epsom last prep and he came down and won on Cox Plate Day.
“He is one that just continues to get better with age and he is the one outside of the bottom two that I am most interested in saying.”
Catkins is currently available at 2015 Canterbury Stakes odds of $2.80 and is a clear favourite from Cosmic Endeavour ($3.30), Tiger Tees ($6), Leebaz ($11), Royal Descent ($12), Hooked ($12) and Criterion ($12).
