Michael Kent’s Canonized gets his chance to snap a nine-month winless run in this afternoon’s Centrebet Fire Up Benchmark 72 Handicap (1612m) at Seymour.
Photo by Racing and Sports
Not since New Year’s Eve last year has the four-year-old son of God’s Own saluted the judge, but in fairness he’s been keeping some handy company in that time and hasn’t been too far off the winner in most runs since.
He’s third-up heading into today’s assignment, and should be ready to peak after slugging home 60kg to a third placing over 1400m at Bendigo 18 days ago in a tougher field than what he’s up against today.
Canonized sat midfield to the turn and chased home powerfully in the straight getting to within 1.1L of the winner Berenger. That run earned a Timeform figure of 76 which is still well below the numbers he produced as a three-year-old last campaign.
The second-placed horse in that race, Gonna Be A Rokstar, ran at Morphettville on the weekend flashing home for a narrow second after settling too far back.
Only once has Canonized run over the mile, and that netted a fourth placing at Sandown back in February. He started awkwardly on that occasion and was never able to work his way into the race.
From barrier one today he should settle in a much more suitable position, and will get his chance to work home strongly against this small field.
Brad Rawiller stays in the saddle too which is a positive. From five starts aboard Canonized he’s managed two wins and two minor placings.
It’s a heavy impost the 60kg, but his main rivals are also lugging plenty of weight and this looks his right race.
Spirit Of Many might just prove the biggest danger.
The Bel Esprit five-year-old is out to snap a frustrating run of three-straight fourth placed finishes which have followed a win at Pakenham back in July.
He has to carry 58kg today but worked home pretty well under the same weight at Ballarat over this trip last start and should be super fit after nine runs already this campaign.
His Timeform figures have been fairly consistent of late and he’s another who will be suited by the smaller field. He shouldn’t have to get as far back as usual, and will be making up a stack of ground over the concluding stages.
Randall out of barrier two is capable of giving a bit of cheek here, after finishing just 0.2L behind Canonized last start when he finished fifth to Berenger.
Randall drove through and hit the front 100m from home in that race but was swamped late on carrying 60kg. He’ll carry the same weight this afternoon.
The David Bourne four-year-old is back to his home track and up to the mile where he’s placed once before, and doesn’t need to find too much more to be in the mix today.
Top jockey Steven Arnold retains the ride too which is a positive. He’ll know just when to let him down in the straight and he’s more than capable of outfoxing his rivals in a tactical battle.
Pepin Hoaks is the next best in this race on ability, but he’s on a five-day back-up from a poor run at Morphettville.
Bear this in mind however – he ran a shocker at Sandown Lakeside four runs back and came out the next day and won at Mornington.
With Dwayne Dunn in the saddle, expect him to be firing this afternoon.
