01 April 2021 | Wayne Currall
The members of the WA Trotting Media Guild have come up with a mixed bag of specials for Gloucester Park’s rare Good Friday day meeting.
Guild president Wayne Currall believes punters can start the afternoon off with a flyer by supporting Boom Time in the opening event.
“The early price assessors have Plutonium as the odd-on favourite, but I think they’ve got it wrong,” he said. “Boom Time has beaten better fields than this and he should be cherry ripe for the 2536m journey. His last-start third behind Lawrence after sitting parked was full of merit.”
The West Australian’s Ernie Manning and veteran trotting scribe Ken Casellas have settled on Heavens Showgirl as their best bet.
“Victorian import Heavens Showgirl has been lucky enough to draw barrier one in each of three WA starts and she can continue to take advantage of the pole,” Manning said. “She scored all-the-way victories at Gloucester Park on March 16 and at Bunbury last Saturday night. The five-year-old, trained and driven by Nathan Turvey, is expected to again lead from the inside on Friday afternoon and she should be hard to beat. Heavens Showgirl won six Victorian races, including one at Melton.”
And Casellas agrees.
“Heavens Showgirl is destined to develop into one of the State’s best mares and she looks set to prove too fast for her eight rivals in the Simmonds Steel Pace on Friday afternoon,” he said. “Blessed with delightful gate speed and a natural frontrunner, Heavens Showgirl has been untroubled to lead and win effortlessly in fast times at Gloucester Park and Bunbury for trainer-reinsman Nathan Turvey at her first two appearances in WA. She’s my best bet to bring up a hat-trick of wins.”
The West Australian’s racing co-ordinator Ryan Havercroft is confident that the last horse who will step onto the track at GP on Friday afternoon will be the first one home.
“Will I Rocknroll had sound Victorian form before his local debut in November where he galloped and dropped out,” Havercroft said. “Has been to Byford trials recently and did everything right, so you have to overlook his one WA run and trust that he is better than he showed on that occasion.”
But TABradio’s Hayden King, a young racecaller who is chalking up a healthy amount of frequent flyer points courtesy of his jaunts to far-flung destinations, believes it’s Stefsbest who will bring home the bacon (sorry, that should be the fish – after all it is Good Friday).
“Stefsbest appeals in the final race on the back of his impressive first-up success,” King said. “Away from the scene for more than 15 months, he came with a strong late burst to down stablemate Gee Jay Kay. He could start overs.”
Longshot guru Pat Harding, who landed his longest-priced winner so far this season when he found squaregaiter Tenno Sho at the juicy odds of 23/1 (plus six other winners on the night), is a fan of Lawrence in the day’s feature event.
“My best bet comes up in the the Easter Cup,” Harding said. “After his great win last week, I think the Greg and Skye Bond-trained Lawrence can repeat the dose. While his stablemate Glenledi Chief is favourite and could be hard to beat, I think coming off 10 metres and one out from the fence, Lawrence with Ryan Warwick aboard could be the one to follow.”
TABradio’s Matt Young has made Miracle Moose his best for the afternoon.
“Miracle Moose is a massive class dropper on Friday, coming from feature racing back to a normal-graded metro event,” Young said. “His draw is ideal and he should sit anywhere before Emily Suvaljko cuts the moose loose and the punters line up to collect.”
Radio Great Southern’s form analyst Warren Wishart is confident that rising star Texas Tiger will keep building his picket fence.
“Texas Tiger is a star in the making and from the low draw should keep the winning streak in tact,” Wishart said. “He opened $1.50, so that makes him the best bet.”
VALUE BETS
WAYNE: I think Simply Shaz will lead and prove very hard to get over in race seven. She appeals as a great each-way chance from the pole.
ERNIE: Mista Shark has won seven of his 15 races from standing starts and he can be expected to step safely off 20m behind in the Easter Cup. The gelding looks close to form which enabled him to win at eight straight starts in 2017-18. Leg problems later kept him out of racing for almost two years. He can make up for lost time.
KEN: For value, I suggest Has No Fear to fight out the finish in the 2536m Westral Pace. She runs her best races over this journey.
RYAN: Babyface Adda won the Northam Cup two starts ago under similar conditions and at the suggested price of $12 he represents great each-way value.
HAYDEN: Naval Aviator was luckless last start. I’d argue most, if not all, of the horses in this race aren’t at their best and he represents some class. He is a solid chance at each-way odds.
PAT: My value bet comes up in race two with No. 5, Naval Aviator. He hasn’t had a great deal of luck in recent races but there’s not much form in this race and I think he has a real chance at reasonable odds.
MATT: Lord Rosco is dropping in grade, his gate speed can overcome the draw and he will be a big chance to bounce back to his best.
WARREN: It’s never easy coming off 50m, but the 2902m of this event gives As Happy As Larry a chance. He hit the line well last week behind Mighty Conqueror and at $16 is a great each-way bet. Happy Easter to all the readers.
To view all of the Media Guild tips click here.
Good punting and hopefully plenty of winners.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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