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Tips and race by race preview by Nick Berney for Wednesday's Canterbury meeting. Selections based on a soft track. Monitor for bias/pattern.

Race 1 - 12:50PM FURPHY HANDICAP (1200 METRES)

Debutant 6. Les Vampires is a nice type and won a recent trial in style at Randwick. The colt showed speed, accelerated hard when put under pressure and pulled away from his rivals to run slick time relative to the morning. He is still learning but has an improver's action and will have benefited from his recent outing. In addition, he will have his first use of the track and the help of barrier one to follow the rail for his first start. It's worth noting that the Waterhouse & Bott stable is in red-hot form saddling up 24 winners out of their past 100 runners at a profit on turnover of 19.9%.

Dangers: Forgiving of 4. Caballus' first start at this track a fortnight ago. He had no luck whatsoever and was blocked for most of the straight. Prior to that effort, he had trialled up well and is a key late market watch. 1. Magic brings superior form lines relative to his rivals and is ready to sprint fresh after a strong recent trial where he wasn't extended at Hawkesbury. 2. Global Empire is an honest on-pace galloper and 3. Battlefield receives James McDonald for the first time.

How to play it: Les Vampires WIN ($1.95 TAB Fixed Odds).

Race 2 - 1:25PM SCHWEPPES HANDICAP (1200 METRES)

1. There There profiles well for this event and expecting sharp improvement here. The filly had every chance first-up at Kensington 21 days ago after stalking a slow pace, but she finished off strongly, clocking one of the meeting's fastest final 200m splits. She is still learning, but the blinkers going on for the first time are a key gear change and the rise to 1200m suits. Additionally, she has come in on a strong figure, is proven on the rain-affected ground and expect her to be hard to beat with even luck.

Dangers: 3. River Tamar, who resumes, is a lightly raced galloper and has trialled well in preparation for this assignment. Both her peak figures have come on wet ground, and she is wound up for this. 7. Tautou always faced the breeze on debut in a genuine tempo and was only narrowly beaten. She will have improved from the race experience and will be fitter. 2. Skip A Beat comes through the same race as There There, and she had all favours. However, to her credit, she tried hard, and James McDonald rides for the first time.

How to play it: There There WIN ($3.00 TAB Fixed Odds).

Race 3 - 2:00PM OLE KIRK @ VINERY STUD HANDICAP (1900 METRES)

7. Travelling Kate was stepping up sharply in distance last start and was only second-up, but to her credit, she raced well and held on for third. The five-year-olds ratings profile suggests she is ready to improve and peak third-up. Moreover, she maps to have all favours, her peak figures have come on rain-affected ground, and jockey Jean Van Overmeire has a strong affiliation with the mare.

Dangers: 2. Pharoah's Reign is a consistent enough type and is rock-hard fit. She receives a positive weight swing in her favour against some of her opposition and can give a sight. 5. Chateaux Park comes through the same race as Travelling Kate and wasn't suited to the sit/sprint race shape. He is well weighted and expecting him to improve. 8. Villaden receives a significant barrier change with James McDonald riding and 6. Don Pedro will roll forward.

How to play it: Travelling Kate WIN. ($7.00 TAB Fixed Odds).

Race 4 - 2:35PM CHC POWERING THE CHASE HANDICAP (1100 METRES)

10. Pink Cashmere is a lightly raced improver and produces her peak performances when fresh. The filly has trialled well and won a recent heat at Randwick in fast time relative to the morning. Further, she hit the line in style and ran past subsequent winner Kalino. The Ciaron Maher & David Eustace galloper maps to be smothered away with James McDonald riding and, with even luck, expect her to use her key asset in acceleration to sprint over the top of her rivals.

Dangers: 6. Silvanito had too much to do first-up at Wyong after getting too far back in a slowly run race. The Godolphin galloper made a long-wide sustained sprint and clocked some of the meetings fasets closing sectionals. He must contend with a tricky draw but can charge late if they overdo it upfront. 1. Tanglewood has gone from strength to strength this prep and is on an upwards ratings spiral. He will roll forward, and repeating his last start figure will make him hard to catch. 2. Silenstar resumes and has trialled well enough. 5. One Destiny is honest and add him into wider exotics.

How to play it: Pink Cashmere WIN ($4.80 TAB Fixed Odds).

Race 5 - 3:10PM VICTOR LUDORUM @ DARLEY HANDICAP (1250 METRES)

Keen on 1. Memoria, who brings a strong ratings profile to this event, and her past two runs have been full of merit. The filly chased a very fast tempo at this track/distance a fortnight ago and was brave in defeat, running second whilst other key market fancies who raced on the speed were well beaten. Before that start, she was well fancied late in the trade, just beaten on the line and beat the rest easily. She has a positive race pattern with key attributes and brings the clear best last start figure into this assignment. Expect her to roll forward from barrier one, and she will take some catching.

Dangers: 2. Southern Chilli was run to suit last start at Sandown, but she ran on hard, closing some of the fastest closing splits of the meeting. She jumps up 3kg in weight, but James McDonald rides, and she is rock-hard fit. 3. Iconic Dame will be fitter and can improve second-up over a more suitable distance. The Waterhouse & Bott pair 5. Zelady Luck and 7. The Unicorn are on-pace types and are key market watches.

How to play it: Memoria WIN ($3.20 TAB Fixed Odds).

Race 6 - 3:45PM TAB HANDICAP (1250 METRES)

12. Shines was honest in defeat last start at this track/distance and was specked late in the trade. Further, he always faced the breeze in an even tempo, accelerated hard and looked like the winner but was just swamped on the line. He is a consistent type, maps to have all favours and repeating his last start figure will put him in the finish. Each-way.

Dangers: Expecting sharp improvent from 15. Ramones who has strong form lines surrounding him, and he has a much more positive race setup in this event. Tim Clark rides, and the 11-day backup suits. 13. Rights Of Man is a knockout chance who had a long time off before resuming at this track a fortnight ago. He receives a gear change and the anticipated genuine tempo suits. 1. Rhythmic Pulse is a strong on-pace type in career-best form. 3. Amnesty stretches out to 1250m for the first time, and although 2. Ten Bells must contend with a tricky draw she will be running on hard.

How to play it: Shines E/W ($5.50 TAB Fixed Odds).

Race 7 - 4:20PM HYLAND RACE COLOURS HANDICAP (1550 METRES)

2. Momack has a strong platform and is ready to peak third-up. The gelding led at a fast pace last start at Warwick Farm, battled on well, and that effort will bring him to optimal fitness. He has strong form lines for this grade and has multiple figures to put him in the finish. Expect him to roll forward and be hard to get past. Each-way.

Dangers: 9. Miss Einstein must contend with a tricky draw, but she has raced well this prep, and expect her to be savaging the line. 1. Two Big Fari was solid first-up and then had no luck when racing wide throughout in the South Grafton Cup (1610m). Although he hasn't won in a long time, he has a solid profile for this event. 5. Media Starguest has a strong record at this track, and he bounced back into form where he just missed the last start in a tight finish at Kensington. 4. Little Beginnings is consistent but has been well-found in early markets. Add 10. Sir Bailey to trifectas and first fours.

How to play it: Momack E/W ($10 TAB Fixed Odds).

Best Bet: Race 5 # 1 – Memoria

Next Best: Race 2 # 1 – There There

Best Value: Race 6 # 12 – Shines