Tips and race-by-race guide for Canterbury on Friday night

1 month ago 30

By John Schell

January 15, 2026 — 5.47pm

Selections based on a soft track.

Race 1

5. Sphere is a Bivouac filly in the Chris Waller stable for Godolphin, and she resumes from a spell here. She had one start at Warwick Farm in December 2024 and finished sixth behind subsequent The TAB Everest placegetter Tempted. Sphere has had two trials in preparation for this return to racing and the small field here should bring her right into contention. 6. Ready Forcocktails is a well-bred filly that debuted with a fifth at this track and should have benefitted from that performance. 2. Flying Wahine is having her first race start here after two solid trials and bears close watching. 3. Little Iris is another well-bred filly, and she is on debut for Gai Waterhouse and
Adrian Bott. She’s had four trials in total including two recent hitouts.
How to play it: Sphere each way.

Race 2

1. Extremely Perfect is on debut and has had three trials in total, including two recently in which he’s been placed in each at Rosehill. He’s drawn the outside here but looks to have the ability to overcome that. 3. Rhetoric made his debut at this track when fourth as favourite and he should be in the thick of things again. 4. Extra Heights ran well when resuming at Randwick and bears close watching, while 2. Yesnova comes out of the same race Rhetoric contested and could get into the placings.
How to play it: Extremely Perfect to win.

Race 3

7. Vasala battled on well when a debut second at Kembla Grange and then followed that up with a win at Gosford when scoring narrowly as favourite. This is a step up, but he looks capable of handling it. 10. Throttle Response has been racing well in Queensland of late and should figure in the finish on that form. 3. Doradus is drawn to get a good run and should give plenty of cheek, while 4. Sunsource ran well when second here last time out and can show up again.
How to play it: Vasala to win.

Race 4

9. Monopolistic did the job well to win on debut on the Beaumont track at Newcastle and then ran well again when a last-start second at this track. He has plenty of upside and should be hard to hold out. 8. Emballee has finished fourth at this track and Warwick Farm at her latest two starts and has the ability to give this a shake. 7. Cantarito ran home well when placed here when resuming and shouldn’t be taken lightly. 2. Namaste won here in November and has a chance if he gets a run to suit from the wide gate.
How to play it: Monopolistic to win.

Race 5

3. Super Bright is a talented mare at her best and has been just behind the placegetters in all three starts this preparation in city grade each time. She’s drawn to advantage in barrier one here and gets her chance to bounce back to form. 4. La Signora Dane won at this track last May. He then finished seventh in two runs before a spell and resumed with another seventh. He should be ready to run a better race in this. 1. Slinky has had two starts back from a break and wasn’t beaten too far at Wyong when last produced. 2. Ringarosa won in good style at Bathurst in good company two starts ago before a fourth on the Kensington track at Randwick.
How to play it: Super Bright each way.

Race 6

7. Sovereign Hill is resuming from a spell here having failed to fire in two runs last preparation. He was a city winner on debut at Warwick Farm and has had two trials to prepare for this return to racing, finishing fourth in the latest of them at Randwick. A forward showing is expected in this. 2. Fine Vintage showed speed and fought on well for a last-start second at this track and can get into the mix again with a repeat of that performance. 3. Wallenda was placed at this track when resuming from a spell and was then down the track when last produced. 4. Zulfiqar won
in good style at this track two starts ago and then hit the line well for a last start third here.
How to play it: Sovereign Hill WIN.

Race 7

1. Bev’s Nine has only had three starts and couldn’t have been more impressive in winning all three of them. He won on debut at Wyong in July and then backed that up with a Kembla Grange success before scoring at Warwick Farm. He resumes here after two recent trial wins and can maintain his outstanding record. 11. Lull went to the front and did the job well to score a win at this track when last produced and has claims again on that effort. 12. Vanlee resumed from a spell and hit the line well to finish second behind Lull last time out and should be better for that run. 9. Stormland resumed from a spell with a close second at Randwick and can be thereabouts with a repeat of that.
How to play it: Bev’s Nine to win.