Friday night at Gloucester Park will provide a few four-year-old pacers with their last chance to force their way into next week’s rich Golden Nugget.
And punters will get the chance to see arguably WA’s best horse in Magnificent Storm do his thing in the night’s FFA.
Members of the WA Trotting Media Guild have done their homework on the eight-race card and have come up with what their best bets.
The racing co-ordinator at The West Australian Ryan Havercroft and Guild president Wayne Currall believe punters can add to their banks early doors by supporting Holly Hecka in the opening event.
“Holy Hecka was far too good for his rivals at his second local start, working to the breeze before pulling away to win by 36m here last Saturday,” Havercroft said. “It was only a modest field but the way he put them away hinted that the son of Sweet Lou could be well above average.”
And Currall agrees.
“Mike Reed’s stable is in great form and Holly Hecka is drawn to give the yard a great start to the evening,” Currall said. “In-form reinsman Shannon Suvaljko is a talented frontrunning driver and I can see him sending this bloke straight to the top from his good gate and dictating terms to suit himself.”
Longshot guru Pat Harding has marked Im Themightylucy as his best.
“So disappointing to see only eight races at GP this Friday,” Harding said. “Makes it tough for punters and tipsters alike.
My best bet comes up in race two with No. 2 Im Themightylucy. With Gary Hall Jr aboard she can record a good win.”
Award-winning journalist and successful owner Ken Casellas is keen on the well-travelled Sugar Apple in race four.
“A spirited finishing burst to romp home by 17 lengths in a six-horse trial at Byford on Sunday morning has influenced me to select Sugar Apple as my star bet on Friday night, even from the outside barrier in race four,” Casellas said. “The opposition is not particularly threatening, and Lindsay Harper should be able to use Sugar Apple’s sprinting ability to good effect. In the 2150m trial Sugar Apple was restrained to last, raced in the breeze in the middle stages and then was angled to three back on the pegs before he began a fast sprint 550m from home to burst to the lead 150m later and then coast home with a final quarter of 27.7sec. to beat the leader Five Star Kevin by 50.8m. Sugar Apple was sixth in a field of eight on debut in WA at Pinjarra last Monday week when he raced four back on the pegs, went three wide approaching the home turn and then was hampered for room in the straight. This New Zealand-bred four-year-old will pay to follow.”
TABradio’s Matt Young believes Ardens Horizon can recapture his best form and win in the night’s only stand.
“Ardens Horizon is normally a reliable beginner and I can see him charging forward to the top here,“ Young said. “He is second-up and has plenty of ability. Just thought this was the perfect race for him.”
Ernie Manning, the pacing expert from The West Australian and The Sunday Times, has singled out Rockmyster as his star bet.
“New Zealand import Rockmyster has won only one of his past eight races, but he could keep alive his slim chances of earning a run in next week’s $200,000 Golden Nugget by scoring an impressive victory on Friday night,” Manning said. “The gelding, trained and reined by Dylan Egerton-Green, won seven events in WA in a sequence of 11 starts before striking his slump. He bounced back with a stylish win last month and his ninth a week ago can be overlooked because he had difficulty getting clear.”
VALUE BETS
RYAN: Hoppys Way looks hard to get over in a small field. Only just run down by a very smart mare in the 4YO Classic last week after withstanding early pressure.
WAYNE: On a night where it’s hard to find value, I’ve opted for an all-up. Holly Hecka into Paul Edward and finishing with Hoppys Way. The good thing about a three-leg multi is that TABtouch gives account holders money back up to $50 if two of your selections salute and the other one dips out. Nothing like a little bit of insurance when you’re punting with your hard-earned.
PAT: My double comes up in race four with No. 3 Bee Jays Boy. Has been about the place with a couple of placings and is due for a win.
MATT: Star Of Willoughby has come back well, should run a bold race and could go around at each-way odds.
ERNIE: Five-year-old American Arma fought on to run second after facing the breeze at headquarters last Friday night and appears to be emerging from a form decline which has resulted in only win from her past 26 starts. The Colin Brown-trained mare showed considerable potential when she scored five wins in a sequence of seven races between May and August last year.
Click Here to view all of the Media Guild tips for this week.
Good punting.