23 March 2023 | Wayne Currall
The $50,000 Sefs Preux Chevalier 4YO Classic (2536m) is the feature on an eight-race card at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The Group 3 event has only attracted a field of eight, but there’s class everywhere.
And the president of the WA Trotting Media Guild, Wayne Currall, has made the returning Tricky Miki his best bet in the feature.
“The Justin Prentice-trained Tricky Miki returns to the races first-up since his brilliant win in the WA Derby (2536m) in November,” Currall said. “The horse has drawn gate eight in the small field and champion reinsman Gary Hall Jr will need to be at his best to get him home. However, his class cannot be denied and I think Prentice will have him tuned up to return a winner on Friday night.”
Veteran tipster Pat Harding likes the chances of Raven Banner in the opener.
“Looks like an early finish at GP with only eight races,” Harding said. “My best bet comes up in race one with the Greg and Skye Bond-trained Raven Banner from barrier one. I think he can lead all the way and win well.”
Award-winnning journalist Ken Casellas and The West Australian’s racing co-ordinator Ryan Havercroft are keen on the chances of Arma Einstein in race two.
“Versatility is a wonderful characteristic in a pacer, and ace trainer Colin Brown’s speedy five-year-old Arma Einstein is blessed with sparkling gate speed and he is my best bet this week to set the pace and win on Friday night,” Casellas said. “He certainly will be seen in a vastly different role than the one he performed last week when, racing first-up, he was 12th and last at the bell before flooding home with a final 800m of 56.42sec. to finish an eye-catching third behind Classic Choice and Kimble.”
And Havercroft agrees.
“Arma Einstein caught the eye last week when making up good ground from last at the bell and has drawn ideally for his second-up assignment,” Havercroft said. “Led until the shadows of the post when last drawing barrier one when collared by Finvarra in October.”
TABradio’s Matt Young believes star pacer Wonderful To Fly can return a winner.
“Wonderful To Fly returns and she has the draw advantage over her main rivals,” Young said. “I’m expecting to see her dash to the front and hopefully a bookie is brave enough to take her on.”
Ernie Manning, the pacing expert from The Sunday Times and The West Australian, has opted for Patched as his star bet.
“Victorian import Patched looks set to complete a feature event double by winning the Trotters Sprint after his Trotters Cup victory last month,” Manning said. “The David Young-trained gelding, who arrived in WA last year, has a tally of nine wins and four places from 14 Gloucester Park starts. He has won four of his last five races and connections are planning a Trotters Inter Dominion campaign.”
VALUE BETS
WAYNE: On a night where value is hard to find, I’m running with an all-up option. Raven Banner into Arma Einstein finishing with Wonderful To Fly. I’m hoping all three can post all-the-way victories.
PAT: My double comes up in race three with No. 4 Nevermindthechaos. Has run some great races and has good form and should win with Gary Hall Jr aboard.
KEN: For value, I suggest Ezana from the inside of the back line in race four when he will be reappearing after a spell. He is the quality performer in the field and should fight out the finish with Ima Fivestar General. He battled on gamely from the breeze over the final 900m when second to the pacemaker Walsh in a three-horse 2150m trial at Byford last Sunday. The early pace was farcically slow (opening quarters of 35.6sec. and 31.2) before he dashed over the final 800m in 57.4sec.
RYAN: Deeorse has placed just once in his last 14 starts but he has drawn well in a modest field here. Should get his chance to run into the placings.
MATT: Peachee could nearly cross in the Trotters Sprint as so many can do things wrong. If she can get the benefit of a chaotic start and lead they will not catch her.
ERNIE: New Zealand and Victorian winner Hes Under Wraps, brought to Perth after a Melton victory last year, is due to open his Gloucester Park success account. A third has been his only placing in six WA starts, but he showed glimpses of a return to the winners’ list when fifth at Gloucester Park last Friday night.
Click here to view all of the Media Guilds tips for this week.
Good punting.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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