TABradio’s Matt Young and WA Trotting Media Guild president Wayne Currall locked horns over their best bets at last week’s Gloucester Park meeting and have done so again this Friday night.
Young opted for Queen Shenandoah and Currall went for Alice Kay as their star bets last week, but both mares lowered their colours to Fifty Five Reborn.
In their return bout this week, Young believes Bracken Sky is overdue for a victory and had made the Debbie Padberg-trained gelding his best bet.
“Bracken Sky has very good speed and this looks a suitable race to utilise that early dash,” Young said. “I think he can lead and win.”
Currall, again, sees things differently.
“This is becoming somewhat of a trend between me and Matty,” Currall said. “I just hope that one of us gets it right this week for all the punters out there. You can put a line through Henwood Bay’s last-start 10th behind Powerplay … he was always well back in a race where they walked early and sprinted home the last 800m in 55.7. Those horses at the back had no chance. I expect Deni Roberts to drive Henwood Bay much more positively this week from gate two. Whatever beats him will win.”
The West Australian’s Ernie Manning is keen on Magnificent Storm in race four.
“Brilliant four-year-old Magnificent Storm will be the star attraction when resuming and looks set for his 13th win from 14 WA starts,” Manning said. “The gelding has made a big advancement since he joined Ray Williams’ stable after a ninth in New Zealand at his race debut. Summer carnival races including the 4YO Championship and 4YO Classic headed races he claimed in victories at his first 12 WA starts. He ran second by a head to Minstrel after being trapped three-wide in the $200,000 Golden Nugget. Magnificent Storm flagged another top campaign when winning a Byford trial by 20m on July 11.”
Manning’s colleague at The West, racing co-ordinator Ryan Havercroft, has made Caveman his best on the nine-event card.
“Caveman didn’t get into the race when nominated as my value bet last week, but gets the draw here to bounce back,” Havercroft said. “Follow up this Friday when the Mike Reed-trained four-year-old starts from barrier one, which he saluted from when last drawing that marble at Northam in April.”
Longshot king Pat Harding is of the opinion that the yard of Greg and Skye Bond could have a big night out.
“Looks like another night for odds-on favourites at GP this Friday,” Harding said. “My best bet of the night comes up in race five with the logical favourite, the Bond-trained Patronus Star. With only a small field of seven, I think he can continue on his winning ways.”
Award-winning journalist Ken Casellas advises punters to fill their pockets early doors with Mr Fantastic in the first race.
“Mr Fantastic performed a shade below par when easily beaten by Kobe Edward at his second Australian start,” Casellas said. “However, I’m prepared to forgive him and give him a chance to redeem himself when he contests the opening event at Gloucester Park on Friday night. It looks a wonderfully competitive race with an abundance of winning form, but I’m happy to make Mr Fantastic my best bet at quite a reasonable price. He looked the goods two starts ago with a powerful all-the-way win at Bunbury.”
VALUE BETS
MATT: The Black Cardinal was a solid run last start. Should be close enough and looks an each-way chance.
WAYNE: The first race on the program is unique in that every one of the 11 runners has saluted at least once at their past five starts - in other words, it’s a lottery. For that reason I’m throwing out Talks Up A Storm. The Murray Lindau team is in hot form and this bloke is shooting for a hat-trick. Will go around at double-figure odds, due to him “drawing the river”, but don’t discount his winning chances.
ERNIE: Veteran gelding Bad Round has not won in his past 15 starts, but should be ready to show form at his fifth appearance this time in. The Debbie Padberg-trained gelding ran seventh after striking interference from a second-line draw last Friday night. He could now have better luck from gate four off the front row.
RYAN: Powerplay has won at three of his last five and though the barrier makes this harder, the predictive market suggests double-figure odds for a horse racing very well.
PAT: My double for the night comes up in race six with another Bond-trained horse, See Ya Write. Coming out of barrier one, I think he can make it two wins in a row.
KEN: For value, I suggest Alta Engen in the Higgins Memorial. He has the raw ability to overcome the outside barrier on the back line. I recommend that punters should consider his last-start defeat just an aberration.
Click here to view all of the Media Guild tips for this week
Good punting.
