27 February 2020 | Wayne Currall
For once, members of the WA Trotting Media Guild are in agreement when it comes to selecting best bets at Friday night’s meeting at Gloucester Park.
After weeks of differing opinions, most Guild members have settled on the same horses at headquarters, where the two divisions of the $100,000 Group 1 Sales Classic Finals (1730m) headline a stellar night of pacing.
TABradio’s form expert Hayden King and longshot guru Pat Harding believe punters can get the night off to a winning start by supporting Iconic Valor.
“Iconic Valor is well drawn in the first,” King said. ”He has options and continues to race in fine form. He will take all the beating.”
And Harding agrees with his younger colleague.
“Iconic Valor has been knocking on the door since his last win five starts ago,” Harding said. ”I think he is ideally placed over 2130 metres and with Chris Voak aboard should give punters something to smile about.“
The West Australian’s Ernie Manning, that paper’s racing co-ordinator Ryan Havercroft and Radio Great Southern’s form analyst Warren Wishart are all keen on Lady Jadore in the filly’s $100,000 scamper.
“Unbeaten juvenile Lady Jadore gets the chance to maintain her unbeaten record when tackling the 2YO Fillies Sales Classic for trainer Annie Belton and reinsman Aldo Cortopassi,” Manning said. “The youngster, who looked most professional when winning after facing the breeze at her debut early this month, crossed to the lead when racing second-up and notched a comfortable front-running victory. Belton is a specialist with young pacers and Cortopassi, who had a choice of drives, has given punters a lead by electing to pilot Lady Jadore.“
Havercroft agrees.
“Lady Jadore looked to have plenty in reserve when winning her heat of the Sales Classic at a short quote,” Havercroft said. ”At her only other start she sat outside of Lets Dance Tonight and outclassed her rivals on that occasion too.”
Wishart is thinking along the same lines.
“Lady Jadore won her heat well and looks better than her rivals,” Wishart said.
Veteran journalist and GP enthusiast Ken Casellas and TABradio’s racecaller Matt Young make a sound case for Always An Honour in the stand.
“The Justin Prentice-trained Always An Honour is a standing-start specialist and he is my best bet on Friday night to continue his dominance in stands by winning race eight,” Casellas said. “The lightly raced four-year-old, who will be driven by Gary Hall Jr, has contested eight stands for six wins, a third and a seventh placing.“
And young agrees.
“Always An Honour is nicely suited over the longer trip and looks to have the edge over rivals on a tricky night of racing,” Young said.
The only Guild member “flying solo” is the group’s president Wayne Currall, who has opted for Miss Sangrial as his star bet.
“Miss Sangrial is lethal in a stalking role,” Currall said. “She played that role perfectly last week when she camped off the speed and finished too well for Fake News. She’s drawn to play a similar role on Friday night and driver Michael Grantham has options from her back-line draw.”
VALUE BETS
HAYDEN: Chiaroscuro should be at decent odds in the FFA. He’s building fitness and is very capable. He is a definite each-way chance.
PAT: Vivere Damore is resuming after a spell and had two good wins priors to that. Shannon Suvaljko jumps aboard and I think she stands an excellent chance of a first-up win.
ERNIE: Chiaroscuro will be racing third-up and he looks ready to reproduce form shown in two wins and a second from his last final three starts before going for a spell last winter. He finished a close-up fourth behind Ideal Liner a fortnight ago. The gelding has drawn favourably in gate three and is capable of recording his 12th Gloucester Park victory.
RYAN: A Boy Named Rosie will trail You Gotta Have Faith through from inside of the second row. Did win five starts ago at Pinjarra from the back line.
WARREN: Advance Your Dream finished powerfully when clear on Monday at Pinjarra to record an impressive win. Small field suits and I can see her getting a nice run. Will be at each-way odds.
KEN: The Dali Express is nicely drawn at barrier two on the back line and should enjoy an ideal passage. He sustained a spirited three-wide burst from last in the middle stages to finish third behind Iceenothink last Friday night.
MATT: Bee Seventeen has drawn beautiful at 10. He sat on speed and was too good at his last run. With normal racing luck he’ll go close again.
WAYNE: Consistent filly My Sweet Deal, who has won seven of her 14 starts and finished in the minor placings six times, will appreciate dropping back to her own age and sex. She was outclassed by Howard Hughes on Monday at Pinjarra, but still managed to finish second in a sizzling mile rate of 1:55.7 for the 2185m journey.
To view all of the Media Guild tips click here.
Good punting.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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