02 August 2018 | Wayne Currall
It’s a mixed bag from members of the WA Trotting Media Guild as far as best bets go for Friday night’s meeting at Gloucester Park.
Only two tipsters – last season’s competition winner Stuart Lowe and longshot guru Pat Harding – have settled on the same horse, Our Angel Of Harlem, as their best for the night.
Lowe believes the Mike Reed-trained filly can follow on from her easy victory at Pinjarra late last month.
“My best bet is Our Angel of Harlem, who crushed her rivals at Pinjarra by 20 metres in fast time,” Lowe said. “Was an easy Pinjarra winner three starts ago and then covered heaps of extra ground when narrowly beaten here at her next start. Hard to beat.”
And Harding agrees with Lowe.
“My best bet for the night comes up late in the program in race nine in the shape of Our Angel Of Harlem,” Harding said. “She will come out of barrier six and has been racing very consistently. I think that in this small field of seven, driver Mark Reed should be able to guide this filly to victory.”
TABradio’s Matt Young is keen on the Ross Olivieri-trained Motu Premier.
“Motu Premier has returned with little luck and meets a good field to return to winning form,” Young said. “I think he’s knocking on the door.”
The West Australian’s Ernie Manning believes the inside draw could prove pivotal to Robert The Bruce’s chances.
“Robert The Bruce gets his chance to bounce back into the winners’ list after drawing the pole,” Manning said. “The New Zealand import impressed when last year winning at seven of his first 10 WA starts. He has been beaten at his past seven appearances but showed a glimpse of earlier form when coming from a second-row draw to finish fourth at GP last Friday night.”
GPTV’s Ken Casellas is a fan of Lightning Jolt, another horse who has drawn the pole in his race.
“Lightning Jolt has bright prospects of ending a losing sequence of 12 when he contests the seventh event at headquarters on Friday night,” Casellas said. “I marked him down as my best bet when he drew the prized No. 1 barrier after he was not suited from wide draws at his previous two starts. The John Oldroyd-trained five-year-old has good gate speed and I expect Clint Hall to attempt an all-the-way victory.”
The West Australian’s racing co-ordinator Ryan Havercroft has kept the pole-draw specials coming with Courage Tells.
“Courage Tells grows a leg from the inside draw and though he possesses a losing sequence of 21 starts, expect him to be well thought of for this assignment and he will take catching,” Havercroft said.
Media Guild president Wayne Currall likes the chances of the Colin Reeves-trained mare Catastrophic Event in the eighth race on the card.
“Catastrophic Event has found some winning form of late and with champion reinsman Chris Lewis in the bike she should prove the testing material,” Currall said. “She’s drawn perfectly in gate three and Lewis will be looking to send her to an early lead and then dictate in front.”
VALUE BETS
Stuart: My value bet is the luckless Budd Sidewinder, who was a solid third at Bunbury in a strong field two starts ago. Couldn’t get into the race last start when seventh here. Looks down in class and is well drawn. Should figure in the finish.
Pat: Robert The Bruce has come up with the best draw he’s had in recent times. From barrier one I expect trainer/driver Nathan Turvey to send him to an early lead and win.
Matt: The Great Dane in the last has showed good signs of ability. Freshened up he could be a good price and a big run wouldn’t surprise.
Ernie: Lightning Jolt is on a 12-start losing run. But the gelding, a Champagne Classic runner-up at his debut, looks capable of using barrier one to advantage.
Ken: For plenty of value I suggest Soho Wonder in race three, in which he is somewhat awkwardly drawn at barrier six. His recent efforts for trainer-reinsman Kaiden Hayter have been encouraging.
Ryan: Whenmechief has only won once in WA, but it was at this track and from this draw when he found plenty. His numerical form does not read well, but the barrier brings him into consideration.
Wayne: Good Times Ahead ran a creditable race when he finished three lengths behind Tyler Brett at headquarters last week. From gate three and with Junior in the cart, expect him to be about the place here.
To view all of the Media Guild tips click here.
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