You can tell it’s carnival time at Gloucester Park - leading trainer Gary Hall’s horses are firing on all cylinders.
The Serpentine-based trainer has a knack of having his stable stars charging at this time of the year and 2020 is no different.
It’s a fact underlined by six of the eight WA Trotting Media Guild members making Hall-trained horses their best bets at headquarters on Friday night.
The West Australian’s Ernie Manning and Racing Great Southern’s form analyst Warren Wishart believe Eloquent Mach can return to winning form in race nine.
“Four-year-old Eloquent Mach looks one of the rare horses who can be declared a best bet after having been unplaced at nine consecutive starts,” Manning said. “But he has the barrier one bonus after a series of awkward draws. He was rated as a Fremantle Cup and WA Pacing Cup contender after Gloucester Park wins in September. The gelding, who was held up last Friday night, has won 13 races, including 10 in Perth.”
And Wishart agrees.
“It was great to get the best bet up at nice odds last week (Balcatherine $2.50) and I think we can keep the momentum going this week,” Wishart said. “This is the race for Eloquent Mach. He finally gets a draw to take up the running. Small field means he should be able to control this race and win.”
Veteran trotting scribe Ken Casellas also has earmarked a horse from the Hall yard as his star bet on the 11-event card.
“Seasoned campaigner Whozideawasthis has managed just four placings from his past 17 starts, but he gets the nod as my best bet at Gloucester Park on Friday night,” Casellas said. “He produced an eye-catching performance last Friday night when he stormed home from 12th at the bell to finish second to Talkerup. The nine-year-old is likely to settle well back from barrier six in the fourth event and Stuart McDonald will be relying on the New Zealand-bred gelding reproducing his strong finishing effort.”
However, longshot guru Pat Harding disagrees with Casellas but has nevertheless kept his selection in the blue-and-gold camp.
“After a pretty tough night last Friday, winners might be a little easier to find this week,” Harding said. “My best bet comes up in race four with No. 4 Liam Neil. I thought he was a tad unlucky last week, but I think he can bounce back and give punters a good sight here.
Another Hall-trained commodity has caught the eye of TABradio’s Matt Young.
“American Brave made a superb return last start and is beautifully placed in this grade,” Young said. “He looks the winner here.”
And Guild president Wayne Currall continues on the Hall bandwagon by suggesting that punters could get their night off to a great start by supporting Copy N Pace in the opening event.
“The Hall stable look like having a night out at GP on Friday night,” Currall said. “They have winning chances in eight of the 11 races and could realistically finish the night with five or more winners. I like Copy N Pace in the first at an each-way quote. His last-start win where they covered the final 800m in a slick 56.9 augurs well for this race. Is drawn awkwardly in 12 but that just means we’ll get a better price.”
TABradio’s Hayden King is keen on Somebeachparty in the Group 1 Westral Mares Classic (2536m).
“Somebeachparty continues to improve with each and every run and should now be peaking for the Mares Classic,” King said. “The nature of the race promises it to be a gruelling test with sufficient pressure. Somebeachparty can get a soft pegs run which so often pays dividends over the long trip - especially in G1s - and provide Emily Suvaljko with a maiden big-race success.”
The West Australian’s racing co-ordinator Ryan Havercroft has opted for American Arma as his best bet.
“The well-bred American Arma has only been beaten once and I expect that record to remain intact on Friday night,” Havercroft said. “She held off Our Shooting Star at their most recent clash when Colin Brown looked to have something in reserve when challenged late.”
VALUE BETS
ERNIE: Last year’s WA Oaks winner Has No Fear should not be underrated from gate one. The filly has won three races since a transfer to trainer Jocelyn Young and impressed when scoring at Gloucester Park in September. She was five back on the pegs before finishing a last-start seventh in the Norms Daughter Classic.
WARREN: Shadow Roll wasn’t beaten that far last week when unplaced. Better drawn and fitter again. Might get a nice run and has always shown ability. At the indicative quote of $21 he’s worth an each-way ticket.
KEN: For value, I suggest Has No Fear, who looks certain to race in a commanding position throughout the 2536m Westral Mares Classic and then unwind a typical flourishing finishing burst.
PAT: My value bet comes in race three with No. 8 Taroona Bromac. I tipped him last week as my value bet and he didn't run a place. However, this race is 2536 metres so there is plenty of time for Ryan Warwick to have him well placed for a late charge at good odds.
MATT: The Last Parisian has drawn beautifully, just needs an ounce of luck and if he gets it he can win.
WAYNE: Euphoric Moment finally got the win he deserved last start. He’d been knocking on the door for quite some time. As it so often happens, once a horse finds winning form they can go on with it. I think the Errol Ashcroft-trained pacer will get out to good odds in race two from his sticky draw in gate six.
HAYDEN: Our Shooting Star is a chance to turn over American Arma late in the program. American Arma did have something in hand the last time they met, but Our Shooting Star made distinguished progress in a quick final quarter. If Our Shooting Star holds out American Arma and makes her work, she will give herself every chance.
RYAN: Talkerup was enormous last week against the boys and is quoted at $51 on TABtouch. It’s a good price about a last-start Tony Svilicich winner.
To view all of the Media Guild tips click here.
Good punting.
