Leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond have a strong hand in Friday night’s feature event at Gloucester Park.
The Bond stable will send four runners around in the $50,000 Group 2 Direct Trades Supply San Simeon Pace (2130m).
But members of the WA Trotting Media Guild have looked elsewhere to find their star bets on the 10-event card.
TABradio’s Hayden King believes punters can fill their pockets by supporting Orlando Blue in race two.
“Orlando Blue should bounce on the front and be too good,” King said. “He had to go too soon on Tuesday and his effort petered out as a result. There will be no excuses from the lead.”
Three from the Guild team have opted for Euphoria as their best bet for the night.
The West Australian racing co-ordinator Ryan Havercroft, Ernie Manning from the West Australian/Sunday Times, and veteran trotting scribe Ken Casellas have all declared Euphoria.
“Euphoria looks well-placed to end a losing sequence of 17 starts, having run eight placings in that time including consecutive seconds leading into this assignment,” Havercroft said. “The son of American Ideal possesses good gate speed and should be able to take advantage of the prized inside draw.”
Ditto says Manning.
“Barrier one has delivered Euphoria the chance to break through for a win after being beaten at his past 17 starts,” Manning said. “The Gary Hall-trained gelding ran second after facing the breeze in his last two races. There is no doubting ability possessed by the five-year-old, a minor placegetter in seven of his past 11 appearances, and he is expected to hold front running on Friday night.”
And Casellas is on the same page as the boys from The West.
“Life hasn’t been a bed of roses for the supporters of Euphoria, but I’m tipping an enjoyable change of fortune for these faithful fans and am declaring the consistent five-year-old my best bet this week,” Casellas said. “He gets a perfect opportunity to set the pace and end a losing sequence of 17 when he starts from barrier one in race three.”
But hold your horses punters.
Before you unleash on Euphoria, TABradio’s Matt Young has a word or two of warning and sees the race panning out differently to his colleagues.
“Fanci A Dance is screaming out to win a race,” Young said. “He looks the work horse in the race and I believe the distance suits him beautifully.”
Guild president Wayne Currall is staying well clear of race three – except to say that Euphoria and Euphoric Moment seems to be the perfect quinella combination – and has made another Hall-trained horse his best bet.
“Champion trainer Gary Hall has always maintained that Will I Rocknroll does his best racing on the pegs,” Currall said. “That was evident last week when the horse came from behind leader Typhoon Banner and ran him down in the straight. Will I Rocknroll has drawn the pole on Friday night and champion reinsman Gary Hall Jr will be looking for an all-the-way victory. He’ll be short but should be winning.”
Longshot guru Pat Harding has kept his best bet until the last race on the program.
“It has been pretty lean for tipsters over the past two weeks and I don't think things will improve on Friday night at GP,” Harding said. “My best bet comes up in race 10 with No. 7 Wanea. Now that driver Chris Voak has taken up training, I expect him to win this race in a canter.”
VALUE BETS
HAYDEN: Trittrittbangbang draws to get the softest run over the long trip. Despite facing a tough opponent, I think he should be in the money and has knockout claims.
RYAN: Hoppys Way flew the gate from a wide draw last time out to lead all-the-way and so should have the speed to hold up from barrier one. Has won two of three since resuming.
ERNIE: Five-year-old Trittrittbangbang should be able to take advantage of gate two after drawing between barriers five and nine when unplaced at his latest four starts. Trainer Matt Scott would welcome a change of luck with the gelding, who has been beaten in his past 37 races.
KEN: For value, I suggest debutant Morissette in the final event. Her effort in running home solidly on the inside from fifth at the 300m to be a half-neck second to Star Lavra in a Pinjarra trial last month was full of merit.
WAYNE: I’ll certainly be having something on the omen quinella – Euphoria and Euphoric Moment – it could be absolute bliss. And I’m leaning towards a multi – Orlando Blue to win race two, into Will I Rocknroll in the fourth, into Paraquet in race seven and Patched in the eighth. I’m hoping they can post all-the-way victories.
MATT: Disco Under Fire has drawn poorly, but is going well and over the longer trip could bomb them late.
PAT: My double comes in race nine with No. 10 Withoutthetuh. I think this horse is primed for a win with the great Michael Brennan/Michael Grantham combination.
Click here to view all of the Media Guild tips for this week.
Good punting.
