The Lark Hill Vets 4 & 5YO Championship (2130m) headlines an interesting 10-event card at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The $50,000 Group 3 feature has attracted a full field of 12 evenly matched pacers and finding the winner will be no easy task.
Members of the WA Trotting Media Guild have shied away from the feature when assessing the program for their best bets.
Guild president Wayne Currall believes punters can start the night off on a winning note by sticking with Ideal Tomado in the opening event.
“Champion reinsman Gary Hall Jr should be able to give Ideal Tomado the run of the race from his draw on the inside of the front line,” Currall said. “He follows a quick beginner in Cheer The Major and just needs an ounce of luck when the sprint goes on. Forget about his last-start fifth when he faced an impossible task coming from last over the final 400m.”
Award-winning journalist Ken Casellas, TABradio’s Matt Young and the racing co-ordinator at The West Australian Ryan Havercroft have all made Valentines Brook their best for the evening.
Casellas made Bettorstartdreaming his best bet last week and the horse duly saluted at the juicy odds of 14/1. And if that wasn’t good enough, the wily Casellas correctly selected the first four (in order) – Bettorstartdreaming, Onesmartfella, Blue Blazer and Hotfoot It. The quinella paid $10.20, the exacta $35.20, the trifecta $95.90 and the First Four $162. A bonanza for punters who placed their faith in Casellas.
“Valentines Brook looks certain to appreciate a massive drop in class, and therefore he is my best bet on Friday night to notch the 17TH win in a most consistent career when he has the ability to overcome the wide draw at No. 7 in race two,” Casellas said. “The Jocelyn Young-trained six-year-old followed seconds behind Lavra Joe and Hector with a fighting second to Magnificent Storm in the Narrogin Cup last Saturday week.”
And Young is just as keen.
“Valentines Brook gets down in grade nicely and looms as a winner on Friday night, even from the wide draw,” Young said.
Havercroft makes it a clean sweep.
“Valentines Brook appears to be working back into winning form, running consecutive seconds from the breeze in the Nullarbor Consolation and the Narrogin Cup most recently,” Havercroft said. “Strung together five wins at this track at the beginning of the year and has run top two at 13 of his last 15 appearances.”
Ernie Manning, the pacing expert from The West Australian and The Sunday Times, and veteran tipster Pat Harding have settled on James Butt as their star bet.
“Eight-year-old James Butt has been racing in top form for trainer-reinsman Chris Voak, with two wins at Gloucester Park and four minor placings there from his past seven starts,” Manning said. “The gelding, who left Ross Olivier’s stable after leg trouble, has not raced since an impressive front-running victory in March and should have benefited from the let-up.”
And Harding agrees.
“Looks like being another tough night at GP this Friday,” Harding said. “My best bet comes up in race three with No. 5 James Butt. He has been very consistent and had a good win last start and should make it back-to-back wins.”
VALUE BETS
WAYNE: Standing-start specialist Call To Arms could run a cheeky race at odds. Loves the stands and follows pace well.
KEN: For value, I suggest Classic Choice from out wide at barrier eight in race three. He had a tough run, out wide early and then in the breeze, when third in a three-way photo with Middlepage and Ezana last week.
MATT: Deeorse is racing well and should be in the first couple again. Continues to be forgotten about and is a must for your quaddie.
RYAN: The 1730m free-for-all event looks an intriguing race with some pact types engaged. Sangue Reale might just get the right run if they tear at each other.
ERNIE: Barrier two this week should be a significant advantage to Regal Cheval, who has won only once in his past 26 starts and is on a 20-run losing streak. The Colin Brown-trained gelding has drawn between gates six and eight when unplaced at his past four appearances.
PAT: My double comes up in race six with No. 1 Taking The Miki. With four wins from five starts she should make it five from six.
Click here to view all of the Media Guild tips for this week.
Good punting.