Australia: Canterbury Park feature at right distance for Always on Show

The third race at Canterbury Park in Australia on Tuesday evening across American time zones is a handicap for fillies and mares at slightly less than a mile.

That’s close enough to Always on Show’s optimum distance for the 5-year-old mare to be at her best against eight rivals. Always on Show has won 3 of 23 starts with the wins at a mile and at a distance slightly longer than a mile.

Trained by Kris Lees, Always on Show has started twice in recent months in her first races since a layoff of nearly six months. Always on Show was sixth in a handicap at 6 3/4 furlongs at Wyong Racecourse on Aug. 28, and second by a length in a handicap at 7 1/2 furlongs at Newcastle at 13-1 on Sept. 17.

Those races were against males. Always on Show closed with interest to be closest to the front at the wire at Newcastle, confirming her preference for races near a mile.

Always on Show is a closer who drew the rail in the race at Canterbury Park. Apprentice jockey Dylan Gibbons has the mount. He was aboard for the recent loss at Wyong.

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Always on Show will be joined at the back of the field by Stalking, who is taking a drop in class after finishing sixth in a handicap for fillies and mares at Warwick Farm on Sept. 14 in her first start since late May. Stalking has a single win in 13 starts, at 7 1/2 furlongs in a maiden race at Kembla Grange in April.

The favorite will be Thousand Years, who has won 2 of 5 starts for trainers Peter and Paul Snowden. Thousand Years is handy enough to race as a stalker and won with that style in her most recent start in a handicap at 1 1/8 miles at Hawkesbury Racecourse on May 5. She stands every chance to continue to improve and should have a pace to follow in this field from Starstruck Barbie.

Canterbury has an eight-race program beginning at 10:25 p.m. Eastern or 7:25 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

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