Shayne O’Cass: Canterbury, Grafton King’s Birthday Monday tips, inside mail

Form analyst Shayne O’Cass presents his best bets, value selection and quaddie picks for metropolitan racing at Canterbury on King’s Birthday Monday, plus his tips for Grafton.

Form analyst Shayne O’Cass presents his best bets, value selection and quaddie picks for metropolitan racing at Canterbury on King’s Birthday Monday, plus his tips for Grafton.

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CANTERBURY

BEST BET

Race 8 No. 2: Pink Shalala

Saves her absolute best for this track and distance.

NEXT BEST

Race 1 No. 2: Cabriole

Blue-blooded Godolphin colt and his trials suggest talent.

VALUE

Race 7 No. 6: Flying Destiny

Boasts some compelling track and fresh figures; light weight too.

QUADDIE

RACE 5: 2,5,6

Race 6: 3,9,11

Race 7: 6,11

Race 8: 2

$18 = 100 per cent of the dividend

JOCKEY TO FOLLOW

James McDonald is on 197 winners at Canterbury.

INSIDE MAIL 

RACE 1

Cabriole is the first foal of Thousand Guineas and Light Fingers winner, Flit. This colt is straight off the Lonhro-assembly line and like all of them, he moves like a panther. Nice colt. All eyes are on Central Coast here; the $1.4 million Inglis Australian Easter Yearling by Wootton Bassett out of Sunlight. Turned in two beautiful trials ahead of this much anticipated debut. Cosmonaut has race experience. Expecting him to be strong late here.

Bet: Cabriole to win, Cosmonaut to place, exacta 2 to beat 3.

RACE 2

British Gem can be forgiven for her underwhelming debut at Newcastle on May 3 given it was a heavy (10) track. Has only seen heavy ground in all of her trials and the one race start so suspecting that she will appreciate it a bit firmer. The Pearls has ‘Oaks/Cups type’ in her blood – literally – as a member of a prized family that boasts The Phantom, The Phantom Chance, The Twinkle, The Dimple and so many more. Be strong late here.

Bet: British Gem each-way, quinella.

RACE 3

Lady Boss has three wins and five placings from 12 starts. She has mixed and matched it with better horses than these. One start for one easy win here. Blue Willow is the fifth foal of Anamato which makes this filly a half-sister to Anamoe. This will be Anamoe’s jockey James McDonald’s first ride on Blue Willow in what is her city debut. All three runs were at Newcastle, each one better than the last.

Bet: Lady Boss to win, exacta 2 to beat 10.

RACE 4

Gatchan is a Norm Gardner-trained mare whose fourth dam is Who Can Say; the mother of Bounding Away. Gatchan has a get back, run on pattern which hasn’t always helped and granted, is least presumably effective at Canterbury but she passed a lot of horses here the other day. Gatchan gets almost 10kg off Monarch’s Brae but this Chris Waller and James McDonald topweight is working his way to a peak. He’s a Canterbury horse having won four from nine here.

Bet: Gatchan each-way, quinella 1,8.

RACE 5

Gatekeeper is another James McDonald ride. He’s one for one on Gatekeeper which was set aside after an impressive win here on debut in mid-January. He’s a gelding but still can marvel at his pedigree being by Justify out of Nakeeta Jane. Trialled well, nice horse. Dashing Eagle descendant Hippolyte Rock was ridden by Tommy Berry when he won at Newcastle in March and he’s there again today which is a positive lead.

Bet: Gatekeeper to win, box First 4: Nos, 2,5,6,9,11.

RACE 6

Apex has raced seven times for two wins, three seconds and a third. That third was behind Caulfield Guineas winner Private Life on debut. The Hawkes Racing gelding has finished runner-up in all three visits to Canterbury, two were at this same trip. Metaphorically has been gelded since he last appeared. Lightly raced, has deep form and the trials are excellent. Wave Breaker’s best would be good enough to win.

Bet: Apex to win, Daily Double 1st Leg 3, 2nd Leg 2.

RACE 7

Flying Destiny has five wins and 10 placings (seven of them seconds) from 21 career starts. On top of that, the Darby Racing galloper has raced at Canterbury three times for two wins and a second. He’s always been a good fresh horse and the trials are suggestive of a bold return (as usual). Expecting a much better run, a more typical run in fact, from World Alliance. That was a very wet track there first-up for him at home. Won a trial since.

Bet: Flying Destiny to win, quinella 6,11.

RACE 8

Pink Shalala boasts the 1980 Golden Slipper winner, Dark Eclipse, as her sixth dam. Her numbers are impressive; nine runs, one win, four second and two thirds. Her record at this track and trip is three starts for a win and two seconds. Granted, it is not all lollipops and roses; she has been a bit costly at times for punters but barrier 4, James McDonald, third-up – really, she has to step up this time. Bonus Tempus could run well here at big odds as he is prone to do on occasions.

Bet: Punk Shalala to win (best bet).

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GRAFTON

BEST BET

Race 3 No. 5: Piedi Veloci

Both runs, either side of the spell, have had merit.

NEXT BEST

Race 4 No. 3: Hezanuff

Hasn’t done much wrong and was good first-up here too.

VALUE

Race 6 No. 1: Seki

Dundeel three-year-old that seems eager to get a mile. Does now.

Originally published as Shayne O’Cass: Canterbury, Grafton King’s Birthday Monday tips, inside mail