Form analyst Shayne O’Cass runs the rule over Monday’s meetings at Goulburn and Bathurst.
GOULBURN
BEST BET
Race 1 No. 6: Not That Easy
Powered up the straight to win first-up at Newcastle over 900m. Extra 100m here is an added advantage.
NEXT BEST
Race 3 No. 5: Master Joe
Boasts a sublime record at the home-track and over this trip. Barrier four seals the deal.
VALUE
Race 4 No. 5: Quizy
Gave a solid account for himself here last start and has drawn better this around.
QUADDIE
Race 4: 1,5,11
Race 5: 6,7,13
Race 6: 5
Race 7: 8,9,10
JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Nick Heywood is likely to be short-odds to win the TAB Jockeys Challenge.
Nick Heywood is the jockey to follow on Monday. Picture: Mark Evans – Getty Images
BATHURST
BEST BET
Race 5 No. 2: Tavolo
Zariz mare who went close to winning on debut at Albury and had trialled well before that.
NEXT BEST
Race 2 No. 1: Arimathea
Dean Mirfin trained local who excels here at the home-track, especially when fresh.
VALUE
Race 3 No. 1: Damascap
Fit and in-form, he won a Midway maiden at Hawkesbury not too long ago.
INSIDE MAIL
GOULBURN
RACE 4
Quizy has some valid excuses here at Goulburn last start which only adds merit to his fourth placing to the handy Two Aye. This race doesn’t look nearly as strong as that one and of course he will be fitter again for the May 26 outing. Drawn better too which could be the difference this time around. Hotlips Houlihan was third in that same race (as above) which earns her a seat at the table alone. She does seem to be headed towards a first win. Stun Gun hasn’t done a whole lot in his four starts but he is from a very astute stable.
Bet: Quizy to win
RACE 5
Explosive Torpido is the most interesting horse racing on Monday – if she comes that is; he is nominated for Canterbury on Wednesday. She is a very well bred daughter of Widden’s up and comer Supido. Widden has a share in this filly too. Her fifth dam is the mother of Mr Prospector. Long story short – she trials like a city horse. Huge watch on Deephar. The Tim Martin trained local has so much more to offer when winning her May 8 trial here. Looks better than country grade herself.
Bet: Explosive Torpido to win, Deephar to place, exacta 7 to beat 6, quinella 6.,7
RACE 6
Hello Jack missed the cut in last Saturday’s Highway at Rosehill. Hard to know for sure but he would have run a race had he made the trip on the score of his form. You wouldn’t see too many more emphatic wins than his last two, especially that one at Parkes. Charlemagne is another Goulburn local; this one trained by Danielle Seib who has got the best out of this former ‘infrequent winner’. The son of Real Impact posted win number four at this same track and distance at his most recent appearance. Trooper McKnuckle has won 4 from 10.
Bet: Hello Jack to win, exacta 5 to beat 3
RACE 7
Single Attraction is nominated for Canterbury on Wednesday and a race at Gosford the following day. That said, you couldn’t say this race is anything other than perfect for the Gerry Harvey bred / Matthew Smith trained mare who was closing fast from back in the pack when a diminishing two-lengths behind stablemate Zippy Zou in Canberra. So Loyal is a So You Think filly from the John Thompson stable wearing the Nieta colours. Logic suggests she is better ‘later’ and over ‘longer’ but Goulburn 1200m is a lovely start point for her.
Bet: Single Attraction to win, So Loyal to place
BATHURST
RACE 4
Line Of Fire, from the Bjorn Baker stable, was scratched from Goulburn (also on Monday) to run out west. Just for interest’s sake, Bathurst is Baker’s most successful venue in terms of winners; he is 96 at present at a strike-rate of 30 per cent. Line Of Fire is a son of Dundeel and has trialled well enough to be winning first time out. Kiribati has also accepted for Goulburn. Has the race experience and ran well each time. Mutany is trained locally by Roy McCabe and ran second here on debut. Can figure again despite the dud draw.
Bet: Line Of Fire to win
RACE 5
Tavolo was bred by her trainer Rob Potter. She is a daughter of the prolific former Riverina resident Zariz and from the famed ‘Belle family’. As for her racing talents, Tavolo won a trial eight-days prior to her excellent debut second at Albury. Bjorn Baker has Little Baia nominated for Canterbury on Wednesday. Note that she has been to Bathurst twice and was runner-up both times. Gary Portelli’s Ferrari Girl was a distant third in the same race that Little Baia was a close second in here.
Bet: Tavolo to win
RACE 6
Successful Star is, for a lot of punters I am sure, on her last chance. She is a very consistent mare, that much is obvious, but he is finding it so hard to convert good runs into wins. She is placed to perfection the whole time and gets great rides; she’s just not winning. That could change on Monday. Jeremy Gask trained mares Croatian Madame and Newfangled Jilly may as well be twins given that they have almost identical C.V’s and racing patterns. Both of them need luck given where they settle. Bobby’s Secret is usually thereabouts.
Bet: Successful Star to win, box trifecta 5,6,13,14
RACE 7
Crop Duster is a very cleverly-named horse being out of a mare called North By Northwest. Think Cary Grant and the famous aeroplane scene. As for this Crop Duster he was flying high early on in his still short career, winning back to back races like the proverbial good horse. Likely to go back here but just as likely to be finishing fast. Floirino, the close relation to Northerly, has started odds-on in his two starts thus far and won them both. Obviously a talent and has drawn well for the first time this time. Big watch on Hardy from the good stable.
Bet: Crop Duster each-way