The time-honoured James Brennan Memorial (2536m), now worth $100,000, takes pride of place at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The Group 2 feature has attracted a top-class field as the State’s two biggest stables fine-tune their pacers for next month’s WA Pacing Cup.
The Gary Hall Sr yard and the husband and wife enterprise of Greg and Skye Bond dominate the Brennan with 10 of the 12 starters.
One of the two seems certain to walk away with the $57,000 winner’s cheque.
Interestingly, not one of the WA Trotting Media Guild members have made their best bet in the feature.
However, three have latched on to Classic Choice as their standout for the night.
Longshot guru Pat Harding, TABradio’s Matt Young and award-winning scribe Ken Casellas believe Classic Choice will make amends for his last-start second.
“Some excellent fields at GP this Friday will give punters and tipsters plenty to think about,” Harding said. “My best bet comes up in race two with No. 4 Classic Choice. He has been racing pretty well and with Chris Lewis aboard should put up a good showing.”
And Matty and Ken both agree.
“Classic Choice has the draw advantage and can control the race and get a well-deserved victory for the stable,” Young said.
Casellas said Classic Choice was racing with wonderful zest for trainer Barry Howlett.
“Classic Choice gets the nod as my best bet this week when he starts from barrier four in race two,” he said. “He was seventh at the bell in a 1730m event last Friday night and was hampered by a flat sulky tyre over the final 550m when a neck second to Thomson Bay.”
Guild president Wayne Currall is keen on Valentines Brook in race three.
“The Jocelyn Young-trained Valentines Brook is finding it hard to break through for a victory this preparation,” Currall said. “However, I reckon that will all change on Friday night. I’m tipping Kyle Symington will seize the initiative and drive this bloke like the best horse in the race.”
Ryan Havercroft, the racing co-ordinator at The West Australian, believes punters can get the night off on a successful note by supporting Fess Up in the opening event.
“Fess Up looks a good way to start your investments at the meeting, drawing favourably for his second-up assignment,” Havercroft said. “He returned from a three-month spell with a narrow victory sitting in the breeze at Pinjarra 11 days earlier and should have more improvement to come.”
Ernie Manning, the pacing expert from The West Australian and The Sunday Times, is a fan of Mister Smartee.
“New Zealand import Mister Smartee has won at three of four starts and looks hard to beat first-up, ahead of his mission to tackle the $200,000 WA Derby in three weeks,” Manning said. “The gelding was highly impressive when he led and won by 4m in a Gloucester Park debut at his last start. He was transferred to trainer Gary Hall Sr after winning and running a close second in Christchurch races. An easy win at Pinjarra opened his WA career.”
VALUE BETS
PAT: My double comes up in race three with No. 5 Lamandier. Had a good win two starts ago and with Gary Hall Jr aboard I think he can bob up again.
MATT: Simply Shaz is racing really well and should get a good run again in the mares feature.
KEN: Eight-year-old Rockaball continues to impress with his spirited finishing bursts, and I’m sure he will be charging home in race eight. He produced a typical splendid finish from eighth at the bell when an eye-catching fourth behind Getn Wiggy Withit last week.
WAYNE: Beyond The Sea has her hoof firmly on the till. I’m expecting Kyle Harper to weave his magic and the mare to salute at each-way odds.
RYAN: Whatabro has been mixing his form of late but is capable of sitting close enough here to be an each-way threat.
ERNIE: Performances by Rambo Rabbit last month indicated he could be on the way back to calculations for the $200,000 Golden Nugget in December. The gelding has won only twice in his past 15 races, but he was placed at two of three recent starts. He drew attention when finishing third after facing the breeze at Gloucester Park on September 15.
Click Here to view all of the Media Guild tips for this week.
Good punting.