The highlight at Gloucester Park on Friday night - the $50,000 San Simeon Pace (2130m) - has been somewhat robbed as a spectacle with Patronus Star drawing the pole.
The WA Derby winner would have been the one to beat no matter where he drew, but from the pole Ryan Warwick will send him straight to the top and justify his skinny odds.
The members of the WA Trotting Media Guild all agree the race is as good as over, with Radio Great Southern’s form analyst Warren Wishart making the Greg and Skye Bond-trained three-year-old pacer his best bet on the 10-event card.
“WA Derby winner Patronus Star has returned in sizzling form,” Wishart said. “Classes above this field, but barrier No. 1 is a help. Should win easily.”
Three members of the Guild - veteran trotting journalist Ken Casellas, TABradio’s form expert Hayden King and Guild president Wayne Currall - have all made Rock Me Over their star bet.
“Rock Me Over has resumed after a spell in splendid form and he is my best bet this week to return to the winning list by setting the pace and holding his rivals at bay in the eighth event at Gloucester Park,” Casellas said. “He led and fought on grandly when a fighting second to the talented While They Pray last Friday night.
King agrees.
“Rock Me Over went out on his shield last week behind While They Pray in a stirring race,”King said. “Providing he can rebound off a tough run, which he should be able to do, he can lead and take all the beating on Friday.”
Currall is singing from the same hymn sheet.
“Shannon Suvaljko should be able to get an uncontested lead off the machine with Rock Me Over,” Currall said. “From there, he’s the one they all have to get over.”
But longshot guru Pat Harding sees the race in a different light, marking the returning Our Alfie Romeo as his best bet.
“This Friday night at GP sees the return of champion reinsman Ryan Warwick and a number of horses from the Greg and Skye Bond stable, who were notably absent last week and one of those runners is my best bet for the meeting,” Harding said. “In race eight there are three Bond horses and I think No. 5 Our Alfie Romeo is the one to consider. She is returning after a spell and I believe can do so with a vengeance in the small field.”
The West Australian’s Ernie Manning is keen on squaregaiter Mr Sundon.
“Class trotter Mr Sundon won by almost 30m at Pinjarra last Monday week and looks back to his best after defeats at three consecutive starts,” Manning said. “He has won at eight of 13 WA appearances since arriving from Melbourne late last year. The six-year-old is among a string of quality horses sent to Ross Olivieri’s stable by leading Victorian owner Merv Butterworth.”
TABradio’s racecaller - and host of One Out, One Back, which can be heard every Tuesday at 9am - Matt Young believes Robbie Easton can return to the winners’ list on Friday night.
“At a meeting with a lot of shorties, we look to Robbie Easton who looks well placed this Friday night,” Young said. “He is versatile and this seems a bit easier than recent fields.”
The West Australian’s racing co-ordinator Ryan Havercroft has opted for Chicago Bull as his stand out for the night.
“Chicago Bull seems to be going around for fun at the moment, collecting $12,090 for a few minutes work on each of the last four Fridays,” Havercroft said. “The only change to that ritual this week will be the winning stake increasing to $15,113 with prize money having reverted back to pre-COVID levels at the start of August.”
VALUE BETS
WARREN: Forgotten Highway is going great guns, winning his last three and the step up in distance should be no problem. Great beginner who is versatile and at the current odds available is great each-way value.
KEN: Fort value, I suggest Countess Grace in the seventh event. She had no luck at all at GP on Tuesday evening when she raced in fifth place, three back on the pegs, before being cast back to last in the final circuit behind the tiring Real Love. Then she met with a check 250m from home before finishing solidly to be fifth behind Millwood Gucci.
HAYDEN: Just Makemine Diamonds has had two eye-catching trials in the lead-up to this first-up assignment. If the pace is on, she could be the one sweeping past them late.
WAYNE: Captain Kirk will be sent out at a liberal price in race four, where Undercover Mac will be all the rage. But if there is a chink in the armour of the favourite, Captain Kirk could be the one to pounce from his trailing inside draw. Looks each-way all day.
PAT: My value bet of the night comes up in race four with No. 7 Qtown Rip Roaring. He ran a creditable fourth last week, but over the longer distance of 2536 metres I believe he is worth backing each-way at very good odds.
ERNIE: Madame Meilland has been beaten at her past 31 starts, but is much better than the losing streak suggests. She impressed when running second last Friday night and looks close to notching her 12th win.
MATT: Budd Sidewinder might have the sleeper’s role over the marathon journey and could be powering home well late at decent odds.
RYAN: Machs Gold’s last two runs have been too good to ignore the predicted price of $34 advertised on the national website. Could surprise at a juicy quote.
To view all of the Media Guild tips click here.
Good punting.
