First Seal has drifted out to 2016 Canterbury Stakes odds of $2.75, but the talented mare still remains favourite in betting for the Group 1 event that will be held at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
First Seal has the chance to record a second win at Group 1 level in the 2016 Canterbury Stakes. Photo by: Steve Hart
First Seal opened as a dominant favourite in Canterbury Stakes betting markets at a quote of $2.30, but she has been on the drift since the final field was released yesterday and she could start the race in excess of $3.
The daughter of Fastnet Rock to the races with a strong win in the Group 2 Millie Fox Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill Gardens on February 20, but trainer John Thompson admits that the four-year-old will need to improve to win the Canterbury Stakes this weekend.
“She ran well,” Thompson told Racing Ahead this morning.
“She was doing everything right at home and we were really happy with her.
“It was really pleasing to see her go to the races and put it all together.
“She is pretty good and what she does she does, but as Blake said there is a fair bit of ring rust there and she is still a bit new with it all.
“Hopefully the win gives her some confidence.
“She probably does need to improve because she is going from mares company to open weight-for-age and it is a pretty strong field.
“She seems to have come on since the first-up run and we are pretty happy with her.”
Our Boy Malachi is currently on the second line of Canterbury Stakes betting markets, but he has also been on the drift and he is out to $3.20 to record a maiden win at the highest level of racing.
The popular sprinter was a big drifter in the lead-up to the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill Gardens on January 30, but he still proved far too good for his rivals and recorded a comfortable three lengths win.
One of the most interesting runners in the Canterbury Stakes field is Kermadec and the two-time Group 1 winner has been kept safe by bookmakers at a quote of $5.50.
Kermadec finished his 2015 Spring Racing Carnival campaign with flat efforts in the Group 1 Ladbrokes Caulfield Stakes (2000m) and Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m), but trainer Chris Waller is confident that the Teofilo entire is ready to fire fresh.
While First Seal is on top of Canterbury Stakes betting markets, the bet-backed runner in the race has been Holler, who is into $7.50 after opening at $9.50.
Holler returned to the races with a win in the Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on January 23, but he was no match for Mahuta in the Group 2 Autumn Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 13.
The only other horse that is available at single figure Canterbury Stakes odds with Ladbrokes is Criterion, who has drifted from $7.50 out to $9 since the final field was released.
Criterion has not been seen at the races since he failed to fire in the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup (2000m) in December, but he does race well fresh and he finished third in the Canterbury Stakes last year.
The Canterbury Stakes betting market is rounded out by Ecuador ($41 into $31) and Happy Clapper ($21 into $15).
