04 April 2019 | Wayne Currall
Four members of the WA Trotting Media Guild have made consistent pacer Handsandwheels their best bet at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Multiple winner of the Guild’s tipping competition Stuart Lowe, longshot king Pat Harding, RWWA’s racing communications co-ordinator Tim Walker and The West Australian’s racing co-ordinator Ryan Havercroft have all marked Handsandwheels as an all-the-way victor.
“Handsandwheels has struck a purple patch of form,” Lowe said. “He followed a win in the 4 & 5 Year Old Championships with close up placings at his next two starts.”
Harding believes the pole draw and sprint trip are all positives for Handsandwheels.
“My best bet of the night comes up in race eight with Handsandwheels drawing the pole position,” Harding said. “Over the sprint journey and the small field, I think he should be a good winner for the Andrew De Campo stable.”
Walker says Handsandwheels is the in-form pacer in the race.
“Handsandwheels has drawn the one once again,” Walker said. “He has the speed to be able to lead over the sprint trip here and record another FFA win.”
Havercroft believes it’s the perfect opportunity for Handsandwheels to exact revenge on Vultan Tin.
“Handandwheels started from this draw when winning as a $1.07 favourite in the 4 & 5YO Championship three starts ago,” Havercroft said. “Looks well placed to turn the tables on Vultan Tin after last week.”
Budding racecaller Hayden King says punters can build their bank early doors by supporting Mighty Flying Deal in the opening event.
“Mighty Flying Deal has been racing tremendously for some time and should lead all the way from the favourable gate,” King said.
The West Australian’s Ernie Manning is keen on classy filly Dracarys.
“Dracarys is nominal favourite for next month’s WA Oaks and looks set to complete a winning hat-trick,” Manning said. “The Justin Prentice-trained filly, a winner at eight of her past 11 starts, bounced back to peak form with a Bunbury victory on March 9. She scored stylishly after leading at Gloucester Park last Friday night week.”
GPTV’s Ken Casellas has earmarked Aliman as his star bet.
“A career-best performance by Aliman last week when he sustained a powerful three and four-wide burst from 10th at the bell to finish a half-length second to Mister Spot has influenced me to mark him down as my best bet,” Casellas said. “Aliman, trained and driven by Dean Miller, looks perfectly suited from the No. 2 barrier in the final event.”
Guild president Wayne Currall has settled on Kimani as his best for the night.
“Kimani has had to play second fiddle to stablemate Herrick Roosevelt for the past two weeks,” Currall said. “There’s no Herrick on Friday night and from gate three I can see him wresting the lead away from stablemate Campora, a horse who goes best in a sit-and-sprint capacity, and posting an overdue victory.”
VALUE BETS
STUART: Shockwave went too hard to lead in the Sales Classic and weakened to run unplaced at his last start. He won three of four previous starts and is drawn to get a good trip here.
PAT: In the last race on the program, I think Shannon Suvaljko should guide Cut Above to victory. He has an impressive record and is ideally placed from barrier one to achieve another win.
TIM: Kimani was beaten by Herrick Roosevelt last week, which there was no shame in. Has another stablemate in barrier one here, but I think he’s going well enough to be too strong late.
RYAN: You Gotta Have Faith will come out humming in the first from barrier two and represents great value if he finds the lead.
HAYDEN: Lagoon Stride will get a soft run on the pegs. He’s likely to get out and finish hard late at big odds and can win.
ERNIE: Tuas Delight has not won in his past 24 starts, but he impressed when fourth and second at Gloucester Park in two appearances since a spell. All his wins have been from a mobile and he is switching back to that form of starting.
KEN: Veteran pacer Debt Free Charlie, with Kyle Harper in the cart, seems certain to attempt an all-the-way victory. Debt Free Charlie set the pace and won two in a row over 2536m early last year.
WAYNE: Rosies Ideal couldn’t get into the race last week after drawing the river. She could get out to a good price in the fourth and will get a much more economical run from gate 11.
To view all of the Media Guild tips click here.
Good Punting!
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