27 April 2023 | Wayne Currall
The $50,000 Allwood Stud Farm Champagne Classic (2130m) and the $30,000 Allwood Stud Farm Race For Roses (2503m) are the feature races at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The Group 3 Champagne Classic is for the two-year-old pacers, while the Listed Race For Roses is a standing-start event for fillies and mares.
Ten For The Dozen, the pre-race favourite for the 2YO feature, has been scratched and his untraced stablemate, Prince Of Pain, the first emergency, gets a start from gate six.
It adds more intrigue to the feature.
However, most members of the WA Trotting Media Guild have bypassed the two main events when assessing the meeting for their best bets.
Ernie Manning, the pacing expert from The West Australian and The Sunday Times, is the exception. He has made Taking The Miki, in the Race For Roses his best bet.
“Class mare Taking The Miki is worth the gamble she will step safely in a standing start this week,” Manning said. “She was slow away from a stand in the recent Easter Cup and ran third, but the WA Oaks winner-Derby placegetter had scored a victory in her stand debut. She impressed with a decisive win from the mobile a fortnight ago, boosting her tally to three victories in four starts since a spell.”
Veteran tipster Pat Harding believes punters can line their pockets by supporting Dominus Factum.
“Could be another tough night at GP with only a few horses standing out,” Harding said. “My best bet comes up in race two with No.1 Dominus Factum. This is his best draw for a while and he’s due for another win.”
The racing co-ordinator at The West Australian, Ryan Havercroft, and Guild president Wayne Currall have settled on Mea Culpa as their best for the night.
“Mea Culpa was brave last week, sticking on well from the breeze to finish 2.4m behind The Mustang after drawing wide,” Havercroft said. “The barrier draw has been kinder this week and his last effort suggests a return to the form that saw him win four times in five starts earlier this year might be just around the corner.”
And Currall agrees.
“Promising young reinsman Kyle Symington has burst onto the scene with plenty of victories,” Currall said. “I’m expecting him to send Mea Culpa to an early lead over the longer trip and be the one they all have to get over.”
TABradio’s Matt Young, who is the clear leader in this year’s tipping competition, and Ken Casellas, a multiple winner of the competition in previous years, have waited until the last race on the 10-event card to unveil their star bet.
Unfortunately for punters, they have settled on different horses.
Young is keen on Hotfoot It.
“Patience is required for the best of the night in my opinion,” Young said. “Hotfoot It has been racing really well and finds a very suitable race. He can blast the arm and run to the lead, and over the mile I cant see them catching him.”
But that’s not how Casellas sees the race unfolding. He’s in the camp of Bettorstartdreaming.
“A perfect way to end a meeting at Gloucester Park is to back the winner of the final event – and on Friday night I’m making Bettorstartdreaming my best bet, with confidence that the seven-year-old’s splendid natural speed will carry him to victory in the 1730m Allwood Stud For All Your Breeding Requirements Pace,” Casellas said. “The Lindsay Harper-trained and driven gelding has been placed at four of his past five starts and he is overdue for a change of fortune.”
VALUE BETS
ERNIE: American Bullitt looks a sound value bet despite the fact he has won only once in his past 31 starts and is on a 17-run losing streak. In his past four appearances, he has notched two Gloucester Park seconds and an Easter Cup fourth.
PAT: My double comes up in race three with No. 4 Alcopony. Has been knocking on the door and with Emily Suvaljko aboard I think he can record a good win.
RYAN: American Bullitt is almost faultless behind the strands. Ran fourth in the Easter Cup and can play a part if able to get across to the pegs in the early stages.
WAYNE: Alta Rhett is drawn to get a perfect trailing run behind likely leader Mea Culpa. Looks a a great each-way play or a quinella option with the favourite.
MATT: Stamford could be dangerous with the perfect sit. Looks a solid each-way chance.
KEN: For value, I suggest Ideal Tomado in race three in which he has drawn out wide at barrier eight against strong opposition, including Goodfellaz, Getn Wiggy Withit, The Miki Taker, Illawong Mustang and Alcopony. Ideal Tornado begins like a flash, and his great natural speed could prove a vital ingredient over the sprint trip.
Click Here to view all of the Media Guild tips for this week.
Good punting.
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