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Aurora Glow looks well-placed to return to the winner’s stall at Canterbury this afternoon.
Aurora Glow lines up in race five, #TheRaces Benchmark 72 Handicap over 1550 metres with Hugh Bowman going aboard the mare for the first time.
Aurora Glow has been in good shape this preparation with top two finishes in three of her last four runs including a Wyong win over a mile.Last start the Chris Waller-trained mare ran at this track and distance in a slightly higher benchmark when a close up second, beaten a long neck.
That was on a six-rated track so today’s conditions should suit Aurora Glow having won twice and placed four times from eight tries on soft going.Aurora Glow comes into today’s contest with the highest last-start Timeform rating and although drawn one form the outside, that could prove an advantage if the track is favouring those wider in the straight.
Dragon Flyer is the next best on last-start Timeform figures and he rates as a danger with a significant drop in grade.He has been racing in higher graded races this campaign including last start when beaten 4L into fifth in the Listed Rowley Mile at Hawkesbury.
Dragon Flyer has only once missed a place in five visits to Canterbury and also has a good record at the distance range with Deanne Panya’s 3kg claim bringing him well at the weights.Our Ventura should be ready to hit her peak after three runs this campaign and has steadily improved her Timeform rating with each outing.
She has been close up in busy finishes at her last two runs, the latest when a 0.4 length third at Warwick Farm over 1600m.Our Ventura hasn’t had the best of luck with wide runs at a couple of her recent outings but Jason Collett should be able to lob her into a perfect position form gate four today.
Pianissimo looks the big improver coming off a fast-finishing win at Kembla Grange over 1400m.While that was just a maiden and he takes a significant step up to a city benchmark, his effort to win was impressive as he overcame a check in the straight and showed a good will to win to grab the leader in the final strides.
A stablemate to Aurora Glow, Pianissimo steps out for just his sixth career run and third of his campaign so should be open to further progression and gives the impression a mile will suit.