Canterbury Tips & Preview | Wednesday 8 July

While still a four-start maiden, Farfetched has been knocking on the door since debuting, winning three times, including a nice performance to finish the runner up at Warwick Farm when resuming this time. With natural improvement and a key experience edge over several rivals this week, she can begin her journey through the grades.

Sanctum trialled fairly ahead of his debut before finishing second behind Omolong at Warwick Farm a fortnight ago. That horse has obviously franked the form and with natural improvement, I can’t find a reason why Sanctum won’t be in the finish again.

Astronomix stamped himself as a horse to follow during his debut preparation, breaking his maiden at his first start at Randwick-Kensington before producing a couple of tough performances to place in BM64 and BM72 company respectively. His condition just gave out a little after taking up the running at Warwick Farm first up a fortnight ago, but with further improvement, he can replicate those tactics and give himself every chance again, and he’ll benefit from Anna Roper’s claim.

Inoue hasn’t been seen at the races since January, but he raced well in some decent races last time in, winning in BM64 company most notably and finding form around some credible opposition. Having trialled up well, he’s a winner at this point of his preparation previously.

Lipstick has been up and racing for a while, but she has continued to turn in high quality performances, finishing the runner up in races here and at Randwick most recently. She need only hold her form to be in the finish of a race of this quality again.

Having only just been denied in his first run back at Wyong in May, Skycatcher justified a big go on the market when hitting the line to win in BM72 company here at his second run back. He has since finished midfield in a stronger Saturday metro race at Rosehill, beaten just over three lengths by the likes of Nobler and King Pedro. In peak order this week, he looks well placed in this grade and has opened at genuine each way odds.

Miss Kim Kar is yet to place in three runs back from a break, but she’s a horse of immense talent when she does put it all together, and there will be no doubting her fitness this week. She’s a winner on soft and heavy going, and I am going to have a small each way bet at current odds.