Diego and Mirragon are good things at Friday night’s meeting at Gloucester Park, according to members of the WA Trotting Media Guild.
TABradio colleagues Matt Young and Hayden King have made Diego their best bet on a fantastic night of pacing, featuring the Group 1 WA Oaks.
“Diego has a beautiful draw and should trail through nicely and be able to put them away whenever Junior wishes to do so,” Young said. “He looks the winner.”
And Young agrees.
“Diego is simply a class apart from rivals this Friday.” King said. “I think the backline draw will prove no object and he can win in any way he chooses. He has the high speed of a promising horse who will reach loftier heights than this.”
The West Australian’s Ernie Manning and veteran trotting journalist Ken Casellas are equally buoyant about the winning prospects of Mirragon.
“Victorian import Mirragon looked back to peak form when running on strongly in a Gloucester Park win last Friday night,” Manning said. “The four-year-old, who often competed in Melbourne feature events, proved his class with four Melton victories. He launched a WA career by winning last February 8 and is now chasing his fourth victory since joining Debra Lewis’ stable.”
Casellas is on the same page as Manning.
“Mirragon is the youngest runner in the sixth event at Gloucester Park on Friday night and the four-year-old has a decided edge in class over his seven rivals,“ Casellas said. “It’s therefore a simple and straight-forward task of nominating him as my best bet for the evening. Mirragon sped over the final 800m in 55.9sec. last Friday when he dashed home from fourth at the bell to snatch a last-stride victory over Plutonium.”
The West Australian’s racing co-ordinator Ryan Havercroft is keen on Nota Bene Denario, a former Kiwi pacer who makes his Australian debut for the Gary Hall stable.
“Nota Bene Denario hasn’t raced for over six months but would have derived benefit from his trial win at Byford on Sunday,” Havercroft said. “He won six times and was placed on another 22 occasions in a 49-start New Zealand career – that record suggests he should be more than competitive at his local debut.”
Longshot guru Pat Harding has opted for Miss Limelight as his best bet on the 10-event card.
“After a tough afternoon at GP last Friday, punters and tipsters could fare better this week,” Harding said. “My best bet comes up in race three with No. 2 Miss Limelight. She has run some good places and is due for a win. I think she will do well in this fillies and mares pace.”
Radio Great Southern’s form analyst Warren Wishart has opted for Battlescard as his best for the night.
“Have to forget Battlescard’s last start and go on his previous runs, most of which were wins,” Wishart said. “With the low draw he should find the pegs and be very hard to beat in front.”
Media Guild president Wayne Currall is sticking with his best bet from last week in Boom Time, who didn’t win but finished a game third behind Mirragon.
“Boom Time has run two slashing thirds at his past two starts after doing all the bullocking work in the breeze,” Currall said. “This is a race in which there looks to be plenty of pace, so if Chris Voak can give Boom Time an easier run I think he can salute at good odds.”
VALUE BETS
MATT: Manofthepeople wasn’t a bad run last start, steps well and looks a suitable race to earn.
HAYDEN: Whoswhointhezoo has been in career-best form recently. He now steps up in class, but comes up with the pole draw. The times he has been running suggest that he is a big chance in anything he contests.
ERNIE: Henwood Bay, the winner of 15 races, gets his chance to break a 17-start losing run when he begins from barrier two. The Errol Ashcroft-trained gelding finished second at Gloucester Park on March 26 after being held up. He came from three back on the pegs to run fourth last Friday night.
KEN: For value, I suggest Savvy Bromac in race three. She caught the eye when she sprinted home fast from last to finish second to her smart stablemate Heavens Showgirl last Friday.
RYAN: Whoswhointhezoo has shown a return to form in recent runs and gets the benefit of an inside draw here. Good each-way prospect from the pole.
PAT: My value bet comes up in race six with No. 4 Mr Kiwi. He had a win five starts ago and I believe Gary Hall Jr can guide him to victory at a good price.
WARREN: This is a rare city run for Budd Sidewinder, but he comes to town off a good last start win. Loves the stand and not a bad draw for him. Great each-way bet.
WAYNE: I’m expecting the WA Oaks to be run at high-speed and some of these fillies will be “feeling the pinch” at the end of a gruelling 2536m trip. One filly who should relish the distance is Royal Essence. Her toughness has been on show at her past three starts where she’s done it hard outside the leader. If she can get an economical run in transit, she’ll be storming home at the business end for young Emily Suvaljko.
It’s great to see Bill Crabb, the former long-time photographer at GP, and Robbie Dewar, the former Sunday Times trotting writer, being honoured with races named after them. Both gentlemen have been wonderful servants of harness racing in WA.
To view all of the media guild tips click here.
Good punting.
