31 March 2022 | Wayne Currall
Members of the WA Trotting Media Guild have come up with a varied list of best bets for Friday night’s meeting at Gloucester Park.
Award-winning journalist Ken Casellas believes punters can line their pockets if they support Livy Jay in race two.
“Livy Jay, the only mare in the 2536m The Super Model Pace on Friday night, is an excellent frontrunner, and trainer Michael Grantham is expected to capitalise on this ability when the five-year-old starts from the prized No. 1 barrier,” Casellas said. “I have been impressed with her recent seconds behind Miss Mucho and Socrates and am happy to make her my best bet on an interesting program.”
The West Australian’s racing co-ordinator Ryan Havercroft is keen on the chances of Know When To Run in race four.
“Know When To Run jumps off the page at me, drawn to lead and should prove hard to catch in the Vintage Cider Pace,” Havercroft said. “Gary Hall Jr would have had the option of driving the polemarker Mister Bushido but has opted to steer the Justin Prentice-trained runner. This field represents a drop in class on his win two starts ago when leading and taking out The Clarke feature.”
Longshot guru Pat Harding is a fan of Miss Mucho in the night’s feature on the 10-event card, the $50,000 Cowden Limited Express Stakes.
“After a pretty tough night last week, this week looks just as tough to at GP,” Harding said. “My best bet comes up in race five with the Bond-trained Miss Mucho from barrier two. She certainly has been most consistent in recent races and I expect a good showing in the main race on the program.”
But that’s not how Media Guild president Wayne Currall sees the event unfolding.
“Savvy Bromac was a good thing beaten in the Golden Girls Mile at Pinjarra two starts ago,” Currall said. “She then was held up for a run when finishing a close-up sixth behind Mighty Ronaldo in last Saturday night’s Bunbury Cup. From gate four, master reinsman Chris Lewis should have her handy and ready to strike when he sets her free.”
TABradio’s “whizz kids – Hayden King and Matt Young – have settled on Acuto as their best for the night.
“Acuto gets the No. 1 barrier and that may be enough to see him over the line,” King said. “He has been positively bursting to win one for a while now and this looks his big chance to cash in on a Friday.”
And Young agrees.
“Acuto is racing well and has the draw to lead and control,” Young said. “He looks very hard to beat.”
The West Australian’s Ernie Manning has opted for Armed Reactor as his star bet.
“New Zealand import Armed Reactor gets the chance to officially open a Perth winning account after an unfortunate start to his WA career,” Manning said. “He won by 18m and rated 1:56.9 in his Gloucester Park debut on March 15. But the Michael Young-trained gelding was disqualified from the victory when handicappers later found his Kiwi stake-earnings had made him ineligible for the race. Armed Reactor was slow away, broke gait and ran unplaced last week in his second appearance at headquarters. He trialled satisfactorily last Sunday and looks ready for victory.”
VALUE BETS
KEN: For value, I suggest Babyface Adda from barrier four in race six. Owner-trainer-reinsman Cody Wallrodt has the six-year-old racing in fine form. He rattled home from seventh on the home turn to finish a splendid fourth behind Mighty Ronaldo in the Bunbury Cup last Sunday.
RYAN: At a meeting where I struggled to find value, I think Wonderful To Fly can overcome barrier nine and could still represent value if starting favourite. She’s classy.
PAT: My double comes up in race six with No. 1 Sangue Reale. Michael Grantham is driving in excellent form and this horse should win in a small field.
WAYNE: The Greg and Skye Bond-trained Vulcan Star can run a race at odds in race two. He has won five and placed second at his past nine runs. Should lap up the longer trip and will get out to a price from gate nine.
HAYDEN: Palatino hasn’t got the greatest gate speed and that could mean Burghley Shard sizzles to the lead. If he does, he will take some catching.
MATT: Captured Delight at 2536 should get a soft run and isn’t without a chance at big odds in the Empress Stakes.
ERNIE: Veteran gelding Black Jack Zac has not won in his past 23 races. But the John Ellis-trained pacer, a winner of seven Gloucester Park races, showed glimpses of his best when recently running two seconds. He should not be underrated despite having drawn gate nine.
Click here to view all of the Media Guild tips for this week
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