26 October 2017 | Wayne Currall
Members of the WA Trotting Media Guild have labelled Our Zak Whitby as the best bet on Friday night’s card at Gloucester Park.
Leading tipster Stuart Lowe, TABradio’s race caller Matt McDermott, the West Australian’s Ernie Manning, veteran tipster Bill Brindley and Guild president Wayne Currall have all made Our Zak Whitby their star bet for the night.
Manning summed up the thoughts of his colleagues when he said Our Zak Whitby should get punters off to a winning start in the opening event. “Our Zak Whitby is showing the class to be a prominent contender for Gloucester Park’s four-year-old series, culminating in the Group 1 Golden Nugget Championship during December,” Manning said. “He is ideally drawn in gate two on Friday night, giving him a strong chance to further boost an impressive record of eight wins, four seconds and three thirds from his past 18 starts. He won stylishly from the talented Kerrin Joseph at Pinjarra on Monday.”
Manning fancies the well-performed Bettor Reward as his value selection. “Bettor Reward is capable of sharp improvement on a fourth after facing the breeze first-up at GP last Tuesday week,” he said. “The Justin Prentice-trained gelding, who had not raced for three months, showed considerable potential in 11 victories from his first 19 starts. He has not won in his past nine appearances, but it should be considered he has often competed in tough company.”
Lowe likes Northern Emperor on an each-way basis in the last. “My value bet is Northern Emperor, who is nicely drawn on the pole on the second line,” he said. “Recent form is better than it reads and he should figure in the finish.”
McDermott is keen on classy mare Sheer Rocknroll as his best value. “A small field in the mares race but on paper still a hot contest,” he said. “Sheer Rocknroll has held her own without winning against the boys recently. She’s been going back with similar draws and finding the line nicely. Two starts ago driver Morgan Woodley had a tight grip on her going to the post in the Stratton. I like her each-way here.”
Brindley is hoping for better results than last week. “Champion reinsman Chris Lewis could make it a winning double with Our Zak Whitby and Itz Bettor To Win,” he said. “And Itz Bettor To Win’s trainer Ross Olivieri can win the final race with my value bet, Aurelius.”
Currall is keen on Major Reality on an each-way basis. “Major Reality ran a great race first-up when she motored home to finish third behind Simply Susational a fortnight ago,” he said. “That was the mare’s first start in more than six months and she would have derived plenty of benefit from the outing.”
Sunday Times columnist Robbie Dewar has made Mach Time his best bet. “Mach Time hasn’t won since August, but he gets the chance to lead on Friday night over the 2130m trip after drawing gate two,” he said. “Could post an all-the-way victory.”
Dewar likes the former Victorian pacer Glenferrie Breeze in the last for some value. “Glenferrie Breeze has drawn ideally in gate three in what isn’t the strongest field seen at headquarters,” he said. “A maddie at a price.”
On-course commentator Ken Casellas has opted for Itz Bettor To Win as his best bet. “Itz Bettor To Win drops dramatically in class and he looms as a star bet when he contests the Rubix Plumbing Pace over 2536m,” he said. “The lightly-raced New Zealand-bred six-year-old has the ability to overcome the disadvantage of starting from out wide at barrier eight and should have no difficulty in stepping up in distance.”
Casellas suggested Just Bet On Black for a shade of value. “Just Bet On Black will start from the prized No.1 barrier over the 1730m sprint trip,” he said. “He certainly gets his chance to end a sequence of five unplaced runs. Trainer Colin Brown excels as a frontrunning driver and Just Bet On Black is a stylish frontrunner who gets a perfect opportunity to beat smart four-year-old Im Rockaria, who has drawn poorly at barrier eight.”
Longshot king Pat Harding believes it could be a tough night for punters. “I thought that in the third, the race for the mares, that number two, Chevrons Champion for Nathan Turvey, might be the way to go,” he said. “She has a good draw and did win at her last outing. Obviously the two Skye Bond horses will provide the stiffest opposition.”
Harding is keen on squaregaiter Itsgettingcalder for his value tip. “Itsgettingcalder with Chris Voak aboard is racing in great heart and should make it four wins in a row,” he said. “The Bob Mellsop-trained Lord Liam is the likely danger.”
The West Australian’s racing co-ordinator Ryan Havercroft is keen on speed machine Thereugo as his star bet. “Thereugo looks very hard to go past in the Manta Tiling Westbred Final,” he said. “Blessed with brilliant gate speed, the son of McArdle should roll straight to the front without any trouble and from that position he should be saluting.”
Havercroft fancies Ohoka Punter as his value for the night. “Ohoka Punter would have derived benefit from his first-up fourth last week and looks the best of Gary Hall’s chances in the open-class race, with the Inter Dominion series just weeks away,” he said. “Gary Hall Jr has elected to take the drive and the son of Bettors Delight would take his career earnings past $1m with a victory on Friday.”
To view all of the Media Guild Tips for this week click here.
Good punting.
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