16 December 2021 | Wayne Currall
The return of the “Little Champ” should be enough to get punters through the turnstiles at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Chicago Bull, the winner of 61 races and more than $2.3 million in stakes, is a rising nine-year-old and is making his comeback to the track after a lacklustre campaign earlier this year.
The Little Bull’s effort on Friday night will go a long way to deciding if trainer Gary Hall continues on with his preparation or retires the champ. Let’s hope it’s the former.
However, members of the WA Trotting Media Guild have looked elsewhere when settling on their best bets on a star-studded 10-event program.
TABradio’s Matt Young believes the barrier draw has given Finvarra the advantage over his stablemate Jumpingjackmac in race five.
“Finvarra has a lovely draw and I think in both options A and B how the race will be run will suit him perfectly,”Young said. “He looks very hard to beat.”
Award-winning journalist Ken Casellas has urged punters to jump on Beat City in the night’s standing-start event.
“Beat City has contested only one standing-start event, but that does not deter me from naming him as my best bet at Gloucester Park on Friday night when he begins out wide at barrier five off the front line in the 2503m standing-start Specialised Equipment Fundings Solutions Handicap,” Casellas said. “He was most impressive in a 2536m mobile race last Friday night when he charged home from sixth at the bell to be a close second to Heez Our Perseus, covering the final 800m in 55.95sec. and the last 400m in 27.53sec. At his previous outing he began smoothly from 50m, raced in 10th and last position before finishing powerfully to win easily.”
Longshot guru Pat Harding has made Infatuation his best for the night.
“Looks like it might be a favourites night at GP this week,” Harding, fresh off tipping six winners last week, said “However, my best bet comes up in race two with No. 1 Infatuation. With a good barrier, I think that this Bond-trained horse can prevail and give punters a good return.”
But that’s not how TABradio’s Hayden King sees the race unfolding, making Gambit his best bet.
“Gambit couldn’t get into the race last start and his run can easily be forgiven,” King said. “I think Thereugo can cross and Gambit could potentially be the first on the scene to take the lead off him. In any case, he can breeze and still be too strong for them.”
The West Australian’s Ernie Manning and that newspaper’s racing co-ordinator Ryan Havercroft are fans of Heez Our Perseus in race three.
“Heez Our Perseus has strong prospects of scoring his fifth Gloucester Park since a transfer this year to trainer Gary Hall,” Manning said. “The gelding, who joined Hall’s stable after running unplaced at six consecutive starts, is in peak form and looks hard to beat. He notched the second city win from his past three appearances when producing a stylish front-running display last Friday night.”
And Havercroft agrees.
“Heez Our Perseus is racing well with two wins and two close seconds in his last four starts and Gary Hall Jr jumps back on, which can only be a plus,” Havercroft said. “I went against Arma Indie last week with my best bet and, despite being proven wrong, I am prepared to do the same here.”
Media Guild president Wayne Currall is keen on Safari Storm.
“I know Safari Storm will, most likely, be in the red but she appeals as the best bet on the card for mine,” Currall said. “Emily Suvaljko should be able to send her straight to the top and from there it should be any easy watch. Safari Storm can act as a banker in the last leg of the main quaddie.”
VALUE BETS
MATT: Nevermindthechaos could be good value bumping into American Arma. With the draw advantage, I expect to see her in front and from there incredibly hard to beat.
KEN: For value, I suggest the Barry Howlett-trained colt Linebacker in race nine. He revealed sparkling speed when he set the pace and strolled to an easy victory over 1609m at Bunbury last Saturday night. He is on the doorstep of a wonderful career.
PAT: My double comes up in race four with No. 8 Chicago Bull. While his previous form before a spell wasn’t that good, I think Gary Hall will have freshened him up and I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see him win over the 1730 metre journey.
HAYDEN: A win multi this week: Gambit in R2, Heez Our Perseus to be a class above again in R3, Major Martini to get back to winning ways down in grade in R6, Youre So Fine is potentially our best 2YO in R9 and Nevermindthechaos has been low-flying this preparation in R10.
ERNIE: Fifty Five Reborn has failed to run a place in five starts since a spell, but there have been excuses for the mare at her past two appearances. The four-year-old was severely checked two starts ago and faced a difficult task from a backline draw in her last race.
RYAN: Leap Of Faith gets a trailing draw at a price in a race where there could be an early burn. Happy to play her each-way.
WAYNE: I’m thinking there could be a hot pace set in the last and, for that reason, I think Captains Beachbabe could have the last shot at them. She’ll be at an attractive price and is capable of causing the upset.
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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