By Neil Evans
A lightly raced and promising home four-year-old will be set for a bigger sprint target if he claims a second win at Monday’s Goulburn meeting.
Jackpot Star ($2.60 favourite on TAB), a progressive son of all-conditions sire Starcraft, is part of a big team on show for the local Matthew Dale stable.
The gelding lines up in the very winnable M.J. Dale Racing Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1100m for just his fourth start since an all-the-way win on debut at Wagga in January.
Brannum (Nick Heywood) prepares to head out at Moruya. Image by Bradley Photographers
Jackpot Star disappointed into a well beaten third placing here next start before being spelled.
But he returned in strong fashion, missing narrowly in a Class 1 at Albury behind the well performed galloper Magic Leprechaun.
Given 24 days since that run, and plenty of work on the track, Jackpot Star is primed to take the next step on the Soft 6 surface, despite drawing the outside barrier (10).
Prior to that in a Maiden Plate over 1200m, Dale saddles up another progressive four-year-old treading a similar pathway.
Brannum ($2.20 fav), a gelded son of Everest winner Yes Yes Yes, is also second-up ahead of his fourth start and having not missed a place so far.
He was placed twice at home and Nowra before spelling, then resumed with a narrow and fast-finishing second in a Maiden over 1310m at Moruya.
Brannum is favourite for Monday’s Maykazz Embroidery & Printing Maiden (1200m) ahead of Sonic Scene ($3.10) and rival home tracker Manwari ($4.20) who also looks well placed third-up.
Meanwhile, all eyes will be on exciting metropolitan filly Raygun Express ($3.20 fav) who debuts in a competitive Apprentice Jockey Of Year Glenn Cahill over 1100m to open the meeting.
A three-year-old daughter of Group 1 winner Pierata in the Richard & Will Freedman stable at Rosehill, Raygun Express is fancied after three progressive trials ahead of metro rivals Blinked ($3.40), Outcast Ally ($4.20) and Yvette ($5).
View the final fields with full form & race replays for Goulburn here