Saturday’s Canonbury Stakes at Rosehill has been used in recent years as the starting point for two of Chris Waller’s superstars (neither of them winning by the way) and the race is often one of the autumn’s strongest leads so let’s have a closer look.
Both Home Affairs and Shinzo made their debut in the Canonbury, and Waller will be sending another debutant in this year with Zoustar colt Tropic as one of seven runners, a small field to be sure, but in fact the second largest in the last 10 years.
Remarkable given the history of quality to come out of it.
Being traditionally seven weeks before the Golden Slipper it’s a race that offers the luxury of two more runs leading into a Golden Slipper, with a three week gap at some point, something which has been a feature of the those heading in to the Slipper.
Given the hype around Waller’s Wodeton, one would probably suspect Tropic is not Waller’s “pea” for this year however he’s shown obvious talent in trials.
By Zoustar out of unraced Sepoy mare Lone, he was a $440,000 buy for China Horse Club / Newgate / Go Bloodstock and Trilogy from Widden at Inglis Easter and has had two trials into his debut, albeit one in the spring and one this campaign.
Waller has another amongst the favourites with million-dollar colt Fermoy entered, having his second start after a strong debut third behind The Playwright and Icarian Dream at Rosehill on November 30.
The third foal of stakes winner, and three times Group I placed, Not A Single Doubt mare Fundamentalist, Fermoy cost Coolmore’s Tom Magnier $1.9million at Inglis Easter when offered by Segenhoe Stud.
Favourite for the race is Godolphin’s Burma Star, an Exceed And Excel colt out of Gongs, coming off an impressive head second to Icarian Dream at Warwick Farm in October.
Also well fancied is the Ryan/Alexiou Snitzel colt Blitzburg, a Newcastle winner on debut and last start third at eagle Farm.
There hasn’t been a Canonbury winner longer than $6.50 in 10 years so it looks likely one of those four will win but the win may not indicate the best horse going forward with some seriously high class youngsters having taken part over the years without winning.
Some of them below:
2024 - Traffic Warden finished 3rd in the Canonbury having his third start and first of his second prep. Subsequently won the G2 Vic Sires Produce, 2nd in the G1 Inglis Sires and 4th G1 Golden Slipper.
2023 – Shinzo finished 3rd in the Canonbury on debut before winning the G3 Pago Pago Stakes and G1 Golden Slipper.
2022 - Best Of Bordeaux won the Canonbury on debut before winning the G2 Silver Slipper and finishing 2nd in the Golden Slipper.
2021 – Home Affairs finished 2nd in the Canonbury on debut before winning the G2 Silver Slipper next start and became a dual Group One winning sprinter at three.
2020 – Prague won the Canonbury at his second start. Won the G2 Pago Pago Stakes and 2nd in the G1 AJC Sires Produce subsequently.
2017 – Pariah won the Canonbury on debut. Finished 2nd in the G1 Blue Diamond two starts later.
2014 – Vancouver. Won the Canonbury at second start and first of his new prep. Won the Golden Slipper two starts, collecting the Todman Stakes on the way.
2013 – Criterion finished 3rd in the Canonbury at his second start and first of a new prep. Subsequently won the G3 Black Opal and G2 Todman Stks at the start of a remarkable career with wins in the Rosehill Guineas, Australian Derby, Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Caulfield Stakes and also 3rd in the Melbourne Cup.
The other two year-old race at Rosehill, the Widden Stakes for fillies, doesn't quite have as rich a history as the Canonbury but worth noting Lady Of Camelot won it last year on her way Golden Slipper victory.
