The Canterbury Stakes is often one of the forgotten Group 1 races of the Autumn Carnival, particularly being perched on Randwick Guineas Day, but we’ll be treated to a very strong edition of the feature on Saturday afternoon.
Horses like Bivouac, Masked Crusader, Savatiano and Dawn Passage have all be confirmed in a strong Canterbury Stakes field of eleven, and it shapes as an intriguing betting race.
You can find my 2021 Canterbury Stakes tips below.
Canterbury Stakes – Winner
No. 1 Bivouac – Bet Now: $2.90
Bivouac is one of the country’s best sprinters and I think he’ll be winning the Canterbury Stakes.
The classy son of Exceed And Excel recorded his first Group 1 victory in the 2019 Golden Rose and he continued to return high-quality performances in Australia’s best sprints throughout 2020, adding both the Newmarket Handicap and the VRC Sprint Classic to his resume.
He was a bit flat when fifth in the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning when resuming this time, but he is yet to finish worse than second in four previous second-up attempts, and he is just the best horse in this race in my opinion.
Canterbury Stakes – 2nd
No. 8 Savatiano – Bet Now: $4.50
James Cummings and Godolphin will launch a strong assault in the Canterbury Stakes 2021 and I think that Savatiano can run into the quinella.
Savatiano has been a strong and consistent performer throughout her career, and while a Group 1 win remains elusive, she has won no fewer than five Group 2 races, and the lucrative The Hunter in 2019.
She enters this race off the back of a dominant win over some quality horses in the Expressway Stakes, horses who have since franked the form, and this really does represent the perfect Group 1 target for Savatiano.
Canterbury Stakes – 3rd
No. 7 Masked Crusader – Bet Now: $6.00
He hasn’t typically been one of mine, but there’s no denying Masked Crusader’s ability when he puts it all together, and he represents a competitive chance in the 2021 Canterbury Stakes.
Masked Crusader has made light work of Saturday fields, albeit at a weaker grade many times since making his debut in late 2019.
He probably just didn’t come up in the spring, but his resuming effort in the Southern Cross Stakes last month suggested that he has, this time in.
Canterbury Stakes – 4th
No. 6 Dawn Passage – Bet Now: $12.00
The resuming Dawn Passage is clearly an above-average athlete, but I just think he might find a couple of these rivals a little too sharp on Saturday.
The Dawn Approach entire went to another level last autumn and into the winter, winning three black type races in succession, and while he didn’t win any of his three spring starts, he also didn’t miss placing.
He has returned a couple of eye-catching trials in the lead-up to his return and he can fight out the finish of the Canterbury Stakes.