The Group 3 $50,000 Laurie Kennedy Pace (2130m) for mares is the feature race at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
And the action on the 10-event card looks like being as hot as the predicted scorcher Perth is expecting.
Members of the WA Trotting Media Guild have had a good look at the program and have settled on their best bets.
Ryan Havercroft, the racing co-ordinator at The West Australian, has made his star bet in the night’s feature event.
“Steno has been irresistible when finding the top and her draw this week presents an opportunity for a repeat performance of the Jocelyn Young-trained mare’s last three outings where she led and won,” Havercroft said. “Cyclone Charlotte might be her main danger this time with Wonderful To Fly starting from the back line.”
Guild president Wayne Currall is keen on the returning Rolling Fire in race two.
“Rolling Fire returns to the racetrack after a three-month spell,” Currall said. “He finished fourth behind Skylou in the WA Derby last November and is a winner of nine of his 19 starts for more than $100,000 in stakes. Justin Prentice-trained horses are usually ready to go first-up and Rolling Fire should prove too classy for his older rivals.”
TABradio’s Matt Young and veteran tipster Ken Casellas made October Reign their best bet last week and that pacer duly saluted. The two are on the same page again this week and have made Hotly Pursued their best for the evening.
“Hotly Pursued is ideally drawn in a field of good horses,” Young said. “He has tremendous gate speed and should be leading and I think he will win this.”
And Casellas agrees.
“Hotly Pursued is a versatile pacer who excels when he sets the pace, and from the prized No. 1 barrier in race three on Friday night I’m expecting Kyle Harper will give him the task of leading and making life tough for his pursuers,” Casellas said. “Therefore, I am more than happy to make the Murray Lindau-trained four-year-old my best bet.”
Longshot guru Pat Harding has opted for Ideal Agent as his star bet.
“Looks like another tough night at GP, but my best bet comes up in race four with No. 5 Ideal Agent trained by Greg and Skye Bond,” Harding said. “Has had a good win since a spell and I think he should make it two in a row.”
Ernie Manning, the pacing expert from The West Australian and The Sunday Times, has saved his best until the last race.
“Class filly Xceptional Arma has not raced for 11 weeks, but boosted her fitness when winning a Byford trial last Sunday,” Manning said. “She has the outstanding record of 10 wins and three places from 15 Gloucester Park starts and scored a 16.8m victory at her last appearance. A barrier six draw this week should not stop her because she has faced the breeze in each of the wins at her past four starts.”
VALUE BETS
RYAN: Rumour Has It gets out to a luxurious each-way quote for a last-start winner after drawing wide. Could run into the money with a favourable run.
WAYNE: Fly To Fame is having her first go at a stand, but she did get away smoothly from the strands at her trial at Byford last month. She has the services of champion reinsman Chris Lewis and could give some cheek if she finds the front.
MATT: Rocknroll Elliot is racing well. He has a nice soft draw and is capable of bobbing up in this if the splits come.
KEN: Ardens Horizon will be good value when he starts from the 20m mark, and he should give his supporters a great sight. He is racing with a wing on every hoof.
PAT: My double comes up in race nine with No. 3 Disco Under Fire. He’s been about the place in recent runs and with Chris Voak aboard I think he can record a good win.
ERNIE: Veteran gelding Disco Under Fire has been beaten at his past 29 starts, but is showing glimpses of form which delivered him seven wins at headquarters. He has run a second and two fourths in Gloucester Park events at his past three appearances. He should be able to take advantage of gate three this week.
Click here to view all of the Media Guild tips for this week.
Good punting.