Members of the WA Trotting Media Guild are in agreement on their best bets on a couple of pacers going around at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The Karen Thompson-trained Our Perkins is popular as a star bet on the 10-event card with TABradio’s Hayden King and Matt Young, as well as Radio Great Southern’s form analyst Warren Wishart.
“Our Perkins should shoot straight to the front and will take all the beating,” King said. ”He has a slow beginner drawn to his inside and is busting to win one.”
Young agrees.
“Our Perkins has come up with the perfect draw,” Young said. “He is an excellent frontrunner and looks set to lead throughout.“
Wishart also is keen on Our Perkins.
“My best bet comes up in race two in No. 2 Our Perkins,” Wishart said. ”Looks well placed here from the low draw after a good effort last start. Should lead and be too good.”
Guild president Wayne Currall and longshot guru Pat Harding believe Soho Thunderstruck is poised to return to winning form in race seven over the sprint trip.
“Soho Thunderstruck has been consistent without winning lately,” Currall said. “The last time he started over the 1730m at the ribbon of light he finished a gallant second behind My Carbon Copy in a slick 1:54.6. They sprinted their last 800m in 55.7 with Soho Thunderstruck doing it tough in the breeze. He’ll most likely have to breeze again in this race outside of likely leader Ideal Investment, but I think he could prove too tough over the concluding stages.”
Harding is in agreement.
“Another fascinating night of racing coming up at GP this Friday,” Harding said. “Certainly form has gone out the window in recent meetings, but hopefully some of the favoured horses should come home. My best bet of the night comes up in race seven with No. 3 Soho Thunderstruck. I think this Kim Prentice-trained horse is due for another win and is ideally placed over the 1730m journey.“
The West Australian’s Ernie Manning is keen on The Bird Dance in the night’s standing start event.
“The Bird Dance, a winner at 12 of 18 starts, has shown quality and can be expected to begin safely from a stand,” Manning said. “The New Zealand import clearly won a standing start event from the 30m line at Pinjarra last Monday and looks back to the form he showed in wins at each of his first eight WA starts. He looks another strong prospect for co-trainers Greg and Skye Bond.“
Veteran trotting journalist Ken Casellas believes Pradas Ideal Dahling can make it back-to-back wins.
“Pradas Ideal Dahling has resumed after a spell in wonderful form and Dylan Egerton-Green should celebrate his first drive behind the seven-year-old by guiding him to victory in the Larkhill Vets Pace on Friday night,” Casellas said. “The Wayne Justins-trained gelding is my best bet. He was not extended in winning easily last Friday night after racing wide early and then without cover.”
However, The West Australian’s racing co-ordinator Ryan Havercroft disagrees with Casellas and has made polemarker and last-start winner Marquisard his best bet in the same race.
“Marquisard loves it in front and is drawn to repeat his success from last Friday,” Havercroft said. “You wont get any of the juicy $8.50 from last week here, but he is drawn to lead and they couldn't get past him last week.”
VALUE BETS
HAYDEN: Balcatherine has been touted as an $8 elect in the predicted prices, which seems ludicrous. She is drawn behind the likely leader and has been in outstanding touch. She shan't miss a place and will be hard to beat.
MATT: Captain Proud hasn’t been racing badly, lovely draw to follow the speed and could be dangerous late with luck.
WARREN: I’m expecting big improvement from Typhoon Tiff in race six. I’m expecting her to utilise her gate speed and shoot to the top. As we saw first-up, she is hard to beat when she leads and the $5.50 on the fixed odds is good value.
WAYNE: Walsh relishes the role of sniper and he gets the chance to play that part behind likely leader McCardles Gem in race three. Looks each-way all day from inside of the backline.
PAT: My value bet comes up in race three with No. 5 Jack William. He’s been placed in three out of five races and I believe is poised to win over the 2130m journey.
ERNIE: Dominate The Dojo has not won in his past 21 starts, but he looks close to more city victories. He has been placed in four his past seven races and last Friday night ran fourth at Gloucester Park.
KEN: For value, I suggest Art Tudor from barrier one in race one. He drew No. 1 when a very easy all-the-way winner four starts ago. All he needs to do this week is hold out Antero in the early stages, with that pacer also possessing excellent gate speed.
RYAN: Lavra Joe, at an indicative price of $5.00, represents value for the State’s in-form two-year-old. Drawn tough but he loves his work, usually from the breeze position and he can win from there again.
To view all of the Media Guild tips click here.
Good punting from home.
