Canterbury Park on Friday, 20 February 2026, with a competitive seven-race evening programme set under lights. The metropolitan card will begin at 6.00 PM and conclude at 9.00 PM, offering a mix of sprint contests and middle-distance handicaps. With total prize money reaching $440,000 across the meeting, the night will feature benchmark races for a range of age groups and classes, highlighted by the richest contest of the evening, the $80,000 KIA Evening Star.
Race 1, the DRINKWISE PLATE, will open proceedings at 6.00 PM over 1250 metres. The maiden set weights event will carry total prize money of $60,000 and will provide emerging gallopers with an early opportunity to make their mark. The sprint trip is expected to test speed and positioning from the outset as the curtain rises on the programme.
Race 2, the CATANACH’S JEWELLERS HANDICAP, will follow at 6.30 PM over 1900 metres. Also worth $60,000, the Benchmark 64 contest for three-year-olds and upwards will shift the focus to stamina. The longer journey will demand patience and tactical awareness as runners stretch out beyond the sprint distances of the opening event.
At 7.00 PM, Race 3, the HELLBENT AT YARRAMAN PARK HANDICAP, will be run over 1100 metres. Carrying $60,000 in prize money, the Benchmark 72 event for five-year-olds and upwards will bring seasoned sprinters to the fore. The short course will place emphasis on early acceleration and sharp finishing efforts down the straight.
Race 4, the MYPLATES HANDICAP, is scheduled for 7.30 PM over 1550 metres. The three- and four-year-old Benchmark 64 contest will also offer $60,000 in prize money. This middle-distance assignment will provide progressive younger horses with a platform to step through the grades in competitive company.
The tempo is set to lift again in Race 5, the THE AGENCY REAL ESTATE HANDICAP, at 8.00 PM. Run over 1100 metres for $60,000, the Benchmark 72 event for four-year-olds and upwards will shape as a sharp and decisive sprint, where track position and timing will prove crucial in the final stages.
The feature of the evening will arrive in Race 6, the KIA EVENING STAR, at 8.30 PM. Contested over 1550 metres and carrying the highest purse of the night at $80,000, the Benchmark 78 event for five-year-olds and upwards will stand as the headline race on the card. With increased prize money and depth of field, the contest will draw strong metropolitan performers and will represent the key highlight of the Canterbury programme.
The meeting will conclude with Race 7, the SCHWEPPES HANDICAP, at 9.00 PM over 1250 metres. The Benchmark 72 event for three-year-olds and upwards will round out the night with $60,000 on offer. The closing sprint is set to provide a fitting finish to the seven-race schedule under lights.
Friday night racing at Canterbury Park will present a balanced card featuring a blend of speed tests and stamina assignments, with competitive prize money across every race. With the $80,000 KIA Evening Star anchoring the programme, the 20 February 2026 meeting will deliver a structured and engaging metropolitan showcase from start to finish.
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