Australian Racing: Magic in the money at Canterbury

There are five meetings set to take place on Monday including at Canterbury, where a metro card is on the schedule.

Race 7 Canterbury

Dollar Magic @ 7.00

Race 6 Mornington

Sun Setting @ 3.60

Race 6 Gawler

Eclair Vitality @ SP

Dollar to deliver Canterbury win

A heavy 8 track is expected for Canterbury’s eight-race card, with the penultimate race of the day an 1100m Benchmark 88 handicap.

The three-year-old Zealously is expected to start favourite for the race, having shown up well in three starts this prep.

The gelding placed in his first two outings this prep, including when losing out by a narrow margin over 1000m at Warwick Farm at the start of April.

Following a second-place finish that day the son of Harry Angel went on to place third in a Randwick Benchmark 78 handicap over the same distance later that month.

Peter Snowden’s gelding raced on soft going on each occasion and again raced on soft when winning over this distance in Benchmark 78 company at Scone last month.

A double-figure barrier isn’t ideal here, however, and he looks opposable, with the mare DOLLAR MAGIC preferred in this contest.

The six-year-old finished runner-up in the previously mentioned Scone contest but meets the winner that day on more favourable terms here.

Scott Singleton’s representative was racing first up that day and, while she has won fresh in the past, she is entitled to have improved for that effort.

The 7.00 daughter of Shamus Award recorded a good second-place finish at Rosehill in December on her only previous effort on a heavy surface.

While the pick is without a win since saluting at Scone in May last year, she has been in good form since and with an inside alley looks capable of recording her first win of 2025.

Sun to salute at Mornington

Eight races have been scheduled for Mornington, with the sixth race of the day a 1200m Benchmark 64 handicap.

A soft 6 track is expected for the race, with La Fracas expected to have his supporters despite a wide barrier.

The Irish-bred gelding has been off the track since finishing sixth of nine in a 1600m Benchmark 64 handicap at Sandown at the end of January.

The son of Night Of Thunder was beaten nearly six lengths that day, however, he had shown better form prior to that including when runner-up at Flemington previously.

The four-year-old has a good record first up and has shown a liking for wet conditions in the past.

However, he meets the hat-trick seeking SUN SETTING here and Matt Laurie’s filly is the pick on this occasion.

The three-year-old showed good form in two starts here earlier this season and she broke through for her first win when racing at Moe first up this prep.

The 3.60 youngster won by nearly a length when racing on the pace on a soft 5 surface on that occasion.

The filly's jockey here Dakotah Keane took the ride when she completed a double in scoring by a length in a Benchmark 58 handicap over 1000m here two weeks ago.

The selection was ridden from mid-division that day and, with a good barrier here, she is taken to complete a hat-trick on her first attempt at this distance.

Vitality to triumph at Gawler

The sixth race on a seven-race card at Gawler is a 1200m Benchmark 56 handicap expected to take place on a heavy 9 surface.

David Aldridge’s ECLAIR VITALITY is a Japanese-bred gelding who showed up well in winning twice earlier this prep.

The first of those wins saw the four-year-old come home nearly three lengths clear of his rivals when contesting a 1000m maiden at Scone in February.

The Lord Kanaloa gelding went on to complete a double when successful by half-a-length in a Class 1 over 1006m at Port Macquarie the following month.

While unable to finish in the first three twice subsequently, he was beaten just two lengths when fifth over 1075m on a wet track at Penola at the start of this month.

Caitlin Tootell takes a valuable two kilograms off her back and her mount is taken to return to winning ways.