Handy mare Shelters can kick off hr autumn campaign with a win in today's final race at Canterbury Park – the Canterbury Park Handicap (race 7).
The lightly raced mare, prepared by Peter Snowden, has a solid record when fresh up and with a good trial under her belt looks hard to hold out.
A daughter of Lonhro and a sister to Group 1 winner Benfica, Shelters has raced seven times for two wins and two placings.
The wins both came when racing in the stable's Victorian base, breaking through for her maiden win fresh up 12 months ago when an easy winner at Cranbourne.
She then successfully made the transition to city grade, leading throughout to score a heavy track win at Sandown Hillside before going for another spell.
She returned to the Hillside course fresh up next campaign and again struck heavy conditions but must had had an issue in the run.
Settling third, she was struggling a long way out and the rider even decided not to pressure her in the straight home.
She then went from the soft ground of the turf to the sand track at Geelong and ran poorly again.
Racing just off the pace, she again dropped out before the turn with the rider declaring he was worried about her action and she was subsequently vetted.
Snowden brought the mare back to Sydney following those two below par runs and gave her a six week break.
She returned over 1250m at Canterbury Park in this class and after settling second last and racing there throughout, hit the line like the Shelters of old and finish runner up.
She then stepped up to 1300m at Rosehill in tougher grade.
Settling fourth and one off the fence, she worked home soundly and finished fifth, beaten 2.9 lengths, behind Smash Hit, before another spell.
The mare has had a good break but comes into this on the back of a strong trial performance when beaten a head.
She has a sound record fresh and is suited in this midweek Benchmark 70 grade.
From gate six she will be camped just off the speed and on her best form looks hard to beat today.
The Mark De Montfort trained Macarthur Bull was luckless fresh and is the clear danger.
The lightly raced gelding, started five times last campaign, kicking off with a wijn over 1000m at Kembla Grange before three placings and a fourth at his next four runs.
He was runner up at Warwick Farm, before placing third on the Kensington track, then ran fourth at Randwick before finishing the campaign with a narrow loss at Gosford after covering ground throughout and losing by just a neck.
He resumed this campaign over 1000m at Wyong and was well fancied to score but bombed the start, missing the jump by a length.
He was near last and wide throughout and even copped a bump as he was trying to make his run, in the end flying home to finish a nose second.
Today he tackles tougher grade and gets no weight relief but draws the inside where he will he well placed if he steps away cleanly.
Corey Brown takes over today and with a good run in barrier one should prove hard to beat.
With the scratching of both Shanty and Road To Summer, Money Tree is promoted to third pick on the back of her sound return.
Kicking off over 1250m here, she sat fourth in the run before working home soundly and just missing to finish runner up.
She drops a kilo here and should be running on hard at the finish again.
Volcanic Warrior, stablemate to Macarthur Bull, is next best.
