Shayne O'Cass's best bets, inside mail for Goulburn on Monday
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BEST BET
SHADOW OF LIGHT (Race 5 No. 11): Well-bred filly who has a bright future; 1500m on the big track is ideal now.
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NEXT BEST
YVETTE (Race 1 No. 5) Daughter of a Group 1 winner who can stand up here in country grade.
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VALUE
DRUNKEN SAILOR (Race 6 No. 6) Just the type of race this horse can, and might, win. Right jockey on too.
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QUADDIE
Race 4: 1,3,9,10
Race 5: 11
Race 6: 5,6,13
Race 7: 2,5,12
JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Keagan Latham rode more winners at Goulburn last season than any other jockey.
LAY OF THE DAY
ANGEL CITY (Race 5 No. 8) I think the market has overreacted to her second on debut and not convinced she's looking for extra ground based on that performance. I'd want better than $5 to be entertaining her.
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RACE 1 – Maiden Plate (1100m)
Yvette is worth a whole lot more off the track than she is on it given she is a daughter of I Am Invincible out of the Robert Sangster Stakes winner Secret Agenda and thus a direct descendant of Denise's Joy. Placed at Canterbury at her first two runs, the last two haven't been nearly as good but this is doable. Outcast Ally, another very, very valuable broodmare later on, trials like a good filly. Could well ping and be hard to run down here. Vincetio (blinkers first time) and Blinked, the daughter of the handy Don't Blink, have claims.
Bet: Yvette to win, exacta/quinella 5,7.
RACE 2 – Maiden Plate (1200m)
Brannum was scratched from Moruya last Thursday to presumably run here at home. That said, he has been dealt the visitors drawn, but he still boasts the best form in the race. The Danny Williams-trained Manwari  has been awfully costly, no time more so than when beaten at $1.75 at Warren last start. To be fair to the horse, it was more about the track conditions (bordering on heavy in actual fact) that contributed to the loss. Sonic Scene is back to country racing after two runs at the midweeks.
Bet: Brannum to win or if scratched Manwari to win.
Bode Akuna was scheduled to run at the washed out Randwick meeting on Saturday. The Jason Coyle bred and trained gelding was good at Kembla second-up and not too bad at Warwick Farm after that on the heavy (8). Loves racing at Goulburn. Don't Doubt Merlin similarly broke his maiden here with Jay Ford riding. How symmetrical is that given Ford steered this horse's mother to her first win and it was also at Goulburn for David Pfieffer. Go well but has a big weight and a wide draw. The Bathurst pair of Dean Mirfin housed horses, Chico Casino and Shaddap, are both last start winners.
Bet: Bode Akuna to win or if scratched Don't Doubt Merlin to win.
RACE 4 – Benchmark 58 Handicap (1100m)
Jackpot Star was scratched from Sunday's Wagga meeting to run here. Note that he will wear blinkers for the first time. The son of Australian Derby winner Starcraft and Wellington Boot winner Jackpot Queen has what seems to be superior form to his rivals – but a sticky draw to deal with. Your Magic is a horse on an upward trajectory. That much is clear given he is '821'. It almost goes with saying how impressive he was winning last start at the Sapphire Coast given he won by almost nine-lengths. Lombardi Lass was disappointing first-up but her first two runs last prep included a maiden win here at home.
Bet: Jackpot Star to win.
RACE 5 – Maiden Handicap (1500m)
Shadow Of Light is a filly by The Autumn Sun out of a mare called Swampland who was beaten a neck in the Let's Elope and was third in a Maybe Mahal. Shadow of Light thus has a really nice mile/2000m profile on pedigree and the way that she ran on debut would back that up somewhat. One thing is certain: 1500m at Goulburn suits her better than 1300m at Wyong. Let's just cut and paste a lot of that for Jagerbomb. Important pedigree note for him going forward, he is by Contributer and his fourth dam is Eight Carat and boasts a doublecross of Sadler's Wells.
Bet: Shadow Of Light  to win (best bet), exacta 11/3, Daily Double 1st Leg 11, 2nd Leg 5.
RACE 6 – Benchmark 58 Handicap (1600m)
Drunken Sailor was originally purchased at Karaka in 2022 for $220,000 but never raced. Enter James Ponsonby who shelled out $1250 online for the son of Ocean Park who has since earned $60,470. He is back in NSW and back in country grade after a trip to Eagle Farm. This is the type of race he can win. We could, and do, say the same about the nine-year-old Sapphires Son who has the home-track advantage. Goes around here with a postage stamp on his back and he's in good nick too.
Bet: Drunker Sailor and Sapphires Son each-way.
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