01 July 2021 | Wayne Currall
Looks like a few “shorties” going around at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Members of the WA Trotting Media Guild have a had a good look at the card and are confident of finding plenty of winners on the 10-event program.
The West Australian’s Ernie Manning and Guild president Wayne Currall have made the brilliant mare Balcatherine their best bet on the night.
“Balcatherine, freshened since a last-start third, will appreciate a return to mares’ company after racing in open free-for-all at her past four appearances,” Manning said. “The Gary Hall-trained five-year-old, a New Zealand import, starred when winning the Group 1 Mares Classic last November. She later scored a victory in the Christmas Belles, restricted to fillies and mares. In her past three starts, she has been a Members Sprint runner-up and third behind Major Times.”
And Currall agrees.
“Balcatherine has got the class to overcome her wide draw in race eight,” he said. “The small field will give champion reinsman Gary Hall Jr plenty of time to assess his options and when he unleashes Balcatherine she’ll prove much too strong for her seven rivals. Will start in the red but can act as a banker for all-ups and the last leg of the main quaddie.”
Longshot guru Pat Harding has made Patronus Star his best for the evening.
“Should be an interesting night at GP with not too many standouts,” Harding said. “My best bet, though, is one of those in race four with No. 3 Patronus Star. I think this is the standout horse in the small field of seven and should record a good win.”
The West Australian’s racing co-ordinator Ryan Havercroft believes Wonderful To Fly can continue on her winning ways.
“Wonderful To Fly and Taking The Miki have been the State’s standout two-year-old fillies and clash again in the Gold Bracelet,” Havercroft said. “The Shane Young-trained Wonderful To Fly is drawn to get on the speed before her main rival when looking for her third feature race win in as many weeks.”
TABradio’s Matt Young is keen on Thereugo in race six.
“Thereugo has the speed to cross this field and his form has been good for a lot of starts now,” Young said. “If he can find the top I think he will be winning.”
Award-winning trotting journalist Ken Casellas has opted for Mini Mine Yet as his star bet.
“With a preponderance of odds-on fancies at Gloucester Park on Friday night I have looked for some value as my best bet, and I have come up with Mini Mine Yet in race two,” Casellas said. “The five-year-old Nathan Turvey-trained mare has been unplaced at her past four starts, one from out wide at barrier nine and the other three from the back line. This week, from the No. 1 barrier, Mini Mine Yet should enjoy a prominent position. She has come from behind at all of her seven wins and I am confident she will be doing her best work at the business end of the 2130m event.”
TABradio’s Hayden King is confident Al Guerrero can lead and win in race three.
“Al Guerrero was back to his best last start, scoring a dominant frontrunning success,” King said. “Rocknroll Whitby, drawn to his inside, frequently comes out sedately and I expect that Al Guerrero will power to the lead and replicate his performance of two weeks ago.”
VALUE BETS
ERNIE: Rebel With A Grin has not won in his past 17 starts, but looks ready to reproduce some of the form shown early in his career. After three New Zealand wins, he scored seven WA victories for co-trainers Greg and Skye Bond. Now trained by Ryan Bell, he impressed when finishing third despite having been blocked for a run last Friday night.
WAYNE: I’m opting for an all-up win multi this week. Al Guerrero, into Wonderful To Fly, into Balcatherine, into Black Jack Baby and finishing off with Alta Blues. That’s half the program, but I’m confident they can all salute.
PAT: My value bet comes in race five with No. 6 Taking The Miki. With Chris Voak aboard, I think she can make it three wins from six starts.
RYAN: Pierre Whitby’s last couple of efforts have been eye-catching when coming off the pace. Two scratchings will have him closer to the speed when settling and he looks close to a win.
MATT: Machs Gold has a tough draw to overcome so it does look hard, but he is improving with every run. One for the black book and a must for quaddies and novelties on Friday.
KEN: For value, I suggest Our Star Billing in race nine. She is in sparkling form and looks set to lead and give Black Jack Baby quite a task to overhaul her.
HAYDEN: I’m going to have a win multi this week. Gambit looks classy in the first; Mini Mine Yet should lead throughout in the second; Al Guerrero is my best in the third; Dredlock Rockstar gets his chance to lead and win in the sixth.
Click here to view all of the media guild tips for this week.
Good punting from home.
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