25 November 2021 | Wayne Currall
The $125,000 Westral Mares Classic (2536m) is the highlight on a great night of pacing at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The Group 1 feature race has brought together a top-class field of mares to do battle, but members of the WA Trotting Media Guild have looked elsewhere to find their best bets on the 10-event card.
Longshot guru Pat Harding believes punters can start the night off on a winning note by supporting polemarker Machnificent in the first.
“Could be a good night for barrier one this week at GP,” Harding said. “My best bet comes up in race one with No. 1 Machnificent. It was a great, well-deserved win last week and coming from the pole he should repeat the dose.”
Award-winning journalist Ken Casellas is keen on the chances of Mirragon in race two.
“Mirragon excels as a frontrunner and I am making the four-year-old my best bet this week,” Casellas said. “From the No. 1 barrier at his fourth appearance after a spell he should set the pace and take plenty of catching in the 2536m race on Friday night.”
TABradio’s Hayden King has landed on the squaregaiter Majestic Courtney in the last as his star bet.
“Majestic Courtney should get the right set up this week and be too good,” King said. “He should’ve just about won at his only WA run and has noteworthy ability.”
The West Australian’s racing co-ordinator Ryan Havercroft has made Al Guerrero his best for the night.
“I have gone with Al Guerrero at a price to salute on the proviso that he can be the first runner to get to Thereugo, who seems to want to take a sit after burning early,” Havercroft said. “If the Kyle Anderson-trained entire was to find the top it is well-known that Al Guerrero does his best racing in front and at an indicative $12 he could show up.”
But that’s not how The West Australian’s Ernie Manning or Guild president Wayne Currall see the race panning out.
“Five-year-old Back In Twenty has appreciated a class drop and barrier one is an added bonus,” Manning said. “The Justin Prentice-trained gelding, driven by Maddison Brown, showed quality when a Navy Cup runner-up last September, ahead of finishing fourth and third in free-for-alls. The gelding relished a return to lesser company two weeks ago, when he led and won clearly. Looks set for his 10th Gloucester Park victory.”
And Currall agrees with Manning.
“Back In Twenty is very fast out of the machine and I think he can hold Thereugo, especially with the two horses drawn alongside each other,” Currall said. “From there he appeals as the one to beat.”
VALUE BETS
PAT: My double comes up in race eight with No. 1 The Hope Diamond. She has had very little luck in recent races but with an excellent barrier draw I think Colin Brown can drive her to victory.
KEN: For value, I suggest the talented trotter Majestic Courtney in the final event, in which he has the ability to overcome the disadvantage of the outside barrier.
HAYDEN: A multi this week: Machnificent, Back In Twenty, Heez Our Perseus to lead throughout plus Majestic Courtney.
RYAN: Colin Brown was boisterous in a pre-race interview before Fifty Five Reborn was badly checked when working into last Friday’s race. A small each-way ticket at long odds.
ERNIE: The Glenn Elliott-trained Soho Gigolo has raced twice since a spell and looks primed to the show form he produced when winning at Gloucester Park last time in. His fitness should have improved further since a Northam second last Saturday night.
WAYNE: Justin Prentice has a happy knack of winning Group 1 races with outsiders. It’s for this reason that I’m throwing out Alta Louisa to cause a boilover in the Mares Classic. Could be worth a throw at the stumps at cricket-score odds.
Click here to view all of the Media Guild tips for this week.
Good punting.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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