The $50,000 Mount Eden Sprint (1730m) highlights an interesting 10-event card at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
The Group 2 sprint heralds the return of arguably WA’s best pacer in Magnificent Storm, who has drawn the ace in the feature.
Trainer Ray Williams will be keen to see his star pacer take on the likes of Lavra Joe (gate four) Jumpingjackmac (three) and Hurricane Harley (nine) as he targets the Inter Dominion Championship in Victoria in November and December.
Members of the WA Trotting Media Guild have dodged the feature when selecting their best bets.
Guild president Wayne Currall returns to the fore after a two-week break in Queensland.
“I would like to thank Hayden King for writing the Guild’s column while I was away,” Currall said. “Hayden is an up and coming racecaller and form expert, but his talents don’t stop there. His fresh approach and wry sense of humour gave the column new appeal. It’s plain to see that his three years studying journalism at uni was not wasted. Well played young man.”
Currall has made Finvarra his best for the night.
“Finvarra was huge at his first run in almost three months,” he said. “He did all the work in the run and was only gunned down late by the swooper Markham Eyre. He would have derived a lot of benefit from that hit-out and he can go one better here.”
Award-winning journalist Ken Casellas and The West Australian’s racing co-ordinator Ryan Havercroft are keen on Lusaka in race six.
“Lusaka is a colt with a bright future, and he is my best bet on Friday night when he will be the only runner on the back line in race six when he will start behind the speedy frontrunner Elwaddell,” Casellas said. “Lusaka, trained by Greg and Skye Bond, trailed the pacemaker Never Ending when an excellent third to that brilliant youngster in the Golden Slipper last Friday night. He wilted a little in the closing stages and he is sure to have derived great benefit from the outing.”
And Havercroft agrees.
“Lukasa loomed on the home turn before running third to Never Ending in the Golden Slipper last Friday,” Havercroft said. “That effort followed wins at his first two starts, one at Addington and the other at Pinjarra, and this assignment represents a big drop in class. Looks to have a bright future and Ryan Warwick has options at the start being the sole back-line runner.”
TABradio’s Hayden King has opted for the newcomer The Mustang as his best bet.
“The Mustang won’t be a big price, but he’ll win,” King said. “He was a FFA class horse in the Eastern States who strikes a low-rated race for an easy first-up kill. He has tremendous gate speed if required.”
Ernie Manning, the pacing expert from The West Australian and the Sunday Times, and Pat Harding, who is desperate to regain his longshot guru title, have settled on Unconditional as their star bet.
“Talented four-year-old Unconditional has impressed when placed in her past three races and looks primed to break through for another win,” Manning said. “The mare, from co-trainers Greg and Skye Bonds’ powerful stable, ran a close last-start second after setting the pace at headquarters on September 27. She has drawn gate three this week and can further boost her creditable record of six wins from 17 Gloucester Park appearances.”
Harding sees a similar scenario playing out.
“We saw a few upsets last week at GP and there might be a few in store this week,” Harding said. “My best bet comes up in the last race on the program with the Bond-trained Unconditional coming out of barrier three. She has consistent form coming into this race and is due for a win.”
VALUE BETS
WAYNE: Purest Silk is a good sit-and-sprint mare. She gets that scenario with a draw that could see her following likely leader Vivere Damore. Can run a race at a price.
KEN: For value, I suggest Terry Ferguson’s talented mare Sports Package, who will start from the inside of the 10 metre line in the 2503m Steelos Handicap. She zipped home in 28sec. and was unextended in a winning a standing-start trial at Pinjarra on Wednesday of last week.
RYAN: He hasn’t done much since, but The Kraken won nine starts ago when last starting from barrier one. A favourite of mine who grows a leg when drawing the pegs.
HAYDEN: Troopingofthecolour could be OK odds in a relatively sedate looking stand field. Although he was run down on Monday, I think he does his best work when coming off cover. If he’s close enough off a soft run, look out.
ERNIE: Widey-travelled Major Mucho, formerly a starter in Victoria, NSW, Queensland and SA, has been unplaced at his past eight starts. But he is capable of running a big race if reproducing form shown when finishing fourth at Gloucester Park last month. Generous odds should be available because he has won only once in his past 23 starts and no wins have resulted from his 16 appearances at headquarters.
PAT: My double comes up in race nine with No. 5 Arma Indie. The mare had a win four starts ago and I think she can bob up here.
Click here to view all of the Media Guild tips for this week.
Good punting.