Shoals to resume in G1 Canterbury Stakes

Multiple Group One winner Shoals will run in the Canterbury Stakes rather than the Newmarket.

Multiple Group One winner Shoals will head to Sydney for the Canterbury Stakes, with the weight-for-age sprint winning out over the Newmarket Handicap in Melbourne.

Shoals was an acceptor for both Saturday’s Newmarket (1200m) at Flemington and the Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Randwick with the Anthony Freedman stable confirming the decision to run the mare in Sydney with Tim Clark to ride.

“Her work on Tuesday morning was strong and she is in good order,” Freedman Racing said on Twitter.

“We are looking forward to getting her back to the track.”

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Shoals is among a field of eight for the Canterbury Stakes while her impending defection from the Newmarket will leave a field of 22 for the time-honoured handicap over the straight 1200m-course.

Shoals was at $8 in an early Canterbury Stakes market on Wednesday with multiple Group One winner Trapeze Artist the $2.80 favourite ahead of Pierata and Kementari ($4.40).

The Freedman stable will be represented in the Newmarket by star sprinter Santa Ana Lane who has won four Group One races and makes his first appearance since winning the Group One VRC Sprint Classic at Flemington last spring.

Santa Ana Lane has equal top weight of 58.5kg with Redkirk Warrior who is aiming for a record third Newmarket win.