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Tips by Brad Gray

Tips and insights for Wednesday’s Canterbury meeting. There are winners to be found for seven races!

The track is in the soft range and the rail is out 8m the entire.

Really deep two-year-old race for the colts and geldings. At the big odds, siding with Choice Harvest. This son of Choisir in the Joe Pride yard really knuckled down to the task at hand at Kembla Grange last start charging home to claim second from a seemingly hopeless position at the top of the straight. Paul King makes the trek into town to maintain his association with the colt who should be better suited out to 1200m. The tight Canterbury track is some concern but willing to find out if he can overcome it at the $26 on offer with TAB Fixed Odds.

Danger: League Of Nations put the writing on the wall first-up that a maiden win is just around the corner while the Chris Waller-trained pair Calculated and Sparky Lad have trialled nicely. Hugh Bowman rides Calculated which is a solid lead. With Choice Harvest expected to run well, you can’t discount Soviet.

How to play it: Choice Harvest EACH WAY ($26 TAB Fixed Odds)

Choice Harvest rattling home at Kembla

Long Tim Ago was tested in Group Two company over the autumn and at just her third start. She finished a long way off stablemate Global Glamour but was tipped straight out after that effort. Prior to that she broke her maiden at Wyong despite sitting four wide without cover throughout. The daughter of Redoute’s Choice has had two trials to tune up for this first-up assignment and will be very forward being trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. She hasn’t had the speed to take up the running in any of her races yet but with only a handful of runners here she might get her chance. At worst, she settled third behind Hammoon Dream and Primavera.

Danger: Miss Que rounded up her rivals impressively on debut at this track. She has had a tickover trial at Warwick Farm since and is still untapped. Primavera is race fit and got a confidence-boosting win at Newcastle last start.

How to play it: Long Tim Ago WIN ($2.70 TAB Fixed Odds)

Long Tim Ago’s brave maiden win

Sasso Corbaro was rolled as a heavily-backed favourite on debut but the daughter of All Too Hard didn’t lose any admirers. She was game right to the line and will come on plenty from the experience. The sizeable gap back to third bodes well for her immediate future. Hugh Bowman maintains his association with her and from the kind draw, should be able to put himself wherever he wants to be in the run. The same can’t be said for Soothing, who has drawn wide and looks the main danger.

Danger: Soothing displayed a brilliant turn of speed when asked in her latest trial outing quickly putting near three lengths on her rivals. It was the showing of a very smart filly but the daughter of Lonhro will need Brenton Avdulla to be right on his game from the wide draw. Ballet Baby also impressed in her trials.

How to play it: Sasso Corbaro WIN ($3.50 TAB Fixed Odds)

Sasso Corbaro’s Canterbury debut

Vienna Romance has plenty of appeal here off a month freshen after failing on a Heavy 10 at Randwick. Happy to pen that run. Prior to that she ran second at Rosehill splitting New Universe and Memes! And three back she ran third to Test The World at Gosford over 1000m. This filly shouldn’t be too far away from the middle draw and with race fitness on her side compared to her main rivals harder in the market, she looks beautifully placed by Gerald Ryan to bounce back.

Danger: So Hard To Catch has led up in both of her trials and gone to the line full of running, winning both of them. The 1100m might be a touch on the short side for the daughter of Hard Spun but she should bounce out and give herself every chance. It’s the same concern for Chatuchak who looks to be humming at the trials but might want 1200m+ and on a bigger track, despite the winkers going on.

How to play it: Vienna Romance EACH WAY ($8 TAB Fixed Odds)

Vienna Romance splitting New Universe and Memes

Steyne didn’t win by a big margin upon resumption at Newcastle but he was always in control and never looked like losing. He jumps straight out to the 1580m second-up which looks to suit as he was brilliant winning over the mile in his only previous try. He drifted a long way back from a wide draw at Kembla before rounding the fanning field and putting his rivals to the sword. He already had it won half way down the straight. Hugh Bowman rides.

Danger: Live To Dream is the prototype Bjorn Baker youngster. She has been very conservatively placed and built a picket fence of three wins, which has earned her the right of a crack in town now. Will need another PB but it’s not out of the question.

How to play it: Steyne WIN ($2.70 TAB Fixed Odds)

Steyne’s big win over the mile at Kembla

Obsidian lines up here after having very little luck on Saturday behind Kingsguard. He finished the race off well enough though to suggest he’ll be cherry ripe now third-up out to 1900m. Glyn Schofield should be able to tuck the six-year-old in a couple of pairs behind what looks a genuine speed with Signposted and Reiby The Red pressing on from wide draws to keep Brogue and Life O’Brien company.

Danger: Springbok Flyer is another Chris Waller-trained runner (he has five engaged) and another that looks primed now third-up. His two runs back have been encouraging and that man Bowman rides.

How to play it: Obsidian WIN ($7 TAB Fixed Odds)

Obsidian was never likely on Saturday from last

Choice Larga didn’t fire a shot first-up but the Heavy 10 conditions copped the blame. If nothing else, the outing will serve to blow out any cobwebs. He was backed into $6 there so the market certainly expected him to run well. Now out to a more suitable 1250m in the same grade with a genuine excuse for his first-up flop, he is $26. In his trial outing prior to resuming he easily accounted for speedy subsequent winner Star Crossed.

Danger: It was some training effort from Clarry Conners to get Bolero King to win at Gosford after a year and a half off the scene. Has now won three from six. Bratislava can bounce back and maps to get the gun run.

How to play it: Choice Larga EACH WAY ($21 TAB Fixed Odds)

Choice Larga's Wyong trial prior to his return

All the fields, form and replays at Canterbury on Wednesday