WA Media Guild Friday’s thoughts

Friday night’s card at Gloucester Park features the running of the $40,000 Caduceus Club Classic (2130m) for the three-year-olds and the $30,000 Gold Bracelet (1730m) for the two-year-old fillies.

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And several members of the WA Trotting Media Guild have found their best bets in those races – unfortunately, with different horses.

TABradio’s Matt Young is keen on The Miki Taker in the Caduceus.

“ The Miki Taker has the speed to push through and run to the top,” Young said. “He is an outstanding three-year-old with great staying potential and this looks a perfect race for him to add another feature to the list.”

But longshot guru Pat Harding disagrees.

“Looks like a night for favourites at GP this Friday with many short prices on offer,” Harding said. “My best bet comes up in race five with No. 4 Swingband. He’s had a couple of good wins in recent starts and I think he can make it three this week.”

And it’s the same case in the Bracelet, with members of the Guild selecting different best bets in the same race.

The West Australian’s racing co-ordinator Ryan Havercroft has made Flametree his best for the night.

“Flametree has come up with the prized barrier one draw for the 2022 Gold Bracelet and looks hard to go past,” Havercroft said. “Since winning at her debut at Albany, she ran sixth in the Sales Classic final and worked hard last time out when runner-up to Wanea after sitting in the breeze. She is one of only two winners in the nine-horse field in what isn’t the strongest edition of the Group 3 feature.”

However, TABradio’s Hayden King predicts a different outcome.

“I think August Moon can put the foot down and power to the front early in the Gold Bracelet,” King said. “She finished a close-up second in the G1 last start and would be devilishly hard to run down.”

Award-winning journalist Ken Casellas has made the enigmatic Bettorstartdreaming his star bet.

“Bettorstartdreaming was a rank outsider at $126 last week when he raced at the rear and finished second last behind Hampton Banner,” Casellas said. “This week he should appreciate a considerable drop in class and I’m quite happy to make him my best bet on Friday night. The Lindsay Harper-trained six-year-old has been unplaced at his past five starts, but he gets an excellent chance to burst to an early lead from out wide at barrier seven in race eight. He excels when he leads, and if he is able to outpace the polemarker and a speedy beginner in Tellmetoattack he should take plenty of catching.”

The West Australian’s Ernie Manning believes Spy Major can continue on his winning ways in race two.

“Spy Major has regained form in four starts since a transfer to Debra Lewis’ stable and looks hard to beat from gate two,” Manning said. “The gelding’s tally from his last three starts is two wins and a third. He impressed in a front-running victory at Gloucester Park last Tuesday. Spy Major won at headquarters when trained by Nathan Turvey, soon after the horse arrived in WA. He was switched to Lewis’ team late last year after unplaced runs for trainer Ryan Bell.”

Guild president Wayne Currall has opted for Hittheroadjack as his best bet.

“Hittheroadjack looks extremely well placed in the night’s only stand,” Currall said. “His main danger is his stablemate Lawrence, but the 30m handicap tips the scales well and truly in the favour of Hittheroadjack. Dylan Egerton-Green has driven ‘Jack’ four times for three wins and a second.”

VALUE BETS

MATT: Doc Holliday is dropping in grade and this is a suitable race. His figure form isn’t brilliant but I think he can assert himself into this race and be a strong winning chance.

PAT: My double comes up in race eight with No. 2  C C Chevron. She’s been about the place in recent races and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if she bobbed up at good odds.

RYAN: I was taken by the run of Tubbs Farquhar to finish fourth in the Williams Cup after sustaining a long three-wide run. This is harder but I will have a throw at the stumps at a long price.

HAYDEN: Not sure what price he’ll be but I didn’t see much value in the card at first glance. Bettorstartdreaming can sear across them early to lead and then win. He won’t be huge odds but I’m confident.

KEN: Maungatahi may not have the class of The Miki Taker and Swingband, but he does have the ideal draw to suggest he’s a sound each-way chance in the Caduceus Club Classic.

ERNIE: C C Chevron provides the rare case of a 10-year-old mare being considered as a city betting proposition after the only placing from her previous eight starts had been a country third. However, C C Chevron’s fourth at Gloucester Park last Friday night gave a glimpse of the ability which has enabled her to score 17 wins.

WAYNE: Power And Grace is having his first start for the Ross Olivieri stable and has drawn the ideal gate to run into the money in race three.

Click here to view all of the Media Guild tips for this week.

Good punting.

By Wayne Currall for Gloucester Park