WA Media Guild Friday’s thoughts

The $50,000 Garrards Horse & Hound Easter Cup (2902m) highlights the twilight card at Gloucester Park on Good Friday.

The Group 2 feature has attracted a strong field with 12 pacers to do battle from the strands in the marathon event.

Longshot guru Pat Harding has made his best bet Undonditional in race one.

“As predicted, last week was tough for punters and tipsters alike,” Harding said. “This week looks like it might be good for favourites, but who knows? My best bet comes up in the first with No. 1 Unconditional. The Greg and Skye Bond camp has a strong hand in this race but I think the polemarker can prevail.”

TABradio’s Matt Young is keen on The Code Breaker in the second.

“The Code Breaker has the ability and the draw to show his best on Friday,” Young said. “He hasn’t had much luck since resuming and I think he can show his best here.”

The West Australian’s Ernie Manning and Guild president Wayne Currall believe Alta Cinderella is drawn to show her best.

“Barrier one gives Alta Cinderella a chance to bounce back into the winners’ list after she had little chance from  a wide gate and ran ninth when racing first-up last Friday night,” Manning said. “The five-year-old, who has won at nine of 21 starts, showed her quality when third behind Queen Shenandoah despite having a tough run shortly before going for a spell last December.”

And Currall agrees.

“Trainer Gary Hall has the ability to have his horses firing early in their preparations,” Currall said. “Alta Cinderella should lead and post an all-the-way victory in the fourth. She’ll be deep in the red but can act as a banker for the last leg of the early quaddie and for all-ups.”

Veteran journalist Ken Casellas has made Ideal Agent in the cup his best for the night.

“New Zealand-bred five-year-olds Ideal Agent and Doc Holliday have had parallel careers in WA, and they will continue their recent rivalry when they share the 20m mark in the Easter Cup,” Casellas said. “I’m quite confident that they will fight out the finish of the gruelling 2902m Group 2 event – and I’m making Ideal Agent my best bet on the program. Ideal Agent, to be driven by Dylan Egerton-Green for leading trainers Greg and Skye Bond, put up a splendid performance when third behind Doc Holliday last Friday night when he sustained a powerful three-wide burst from the rear. He covered a lot more ground than his rival who appreciated a perfect passage three back on the pegs before running home strongly.”

TABradio’s Hayden King has opted for Twoandahalf Tigers – a horse who has been unplaced at his past 15 starts – as his best bet.

“Twoandahalf Tigers has been racing very well and slightly under the radar for weeks, even months now,” King said. “He comes up with gate one and this is his big chance to win another one on a Friday night.”

VALUE BETS

PAT: My double comes up in race seven with No. 4 Miss Mucho. She ran a good fourth last week but the Bonds have a habit of winning big races and I think she has an excellent chance of taking out the Easter Cup.

MATT: Iamthefirecracker has been pretty unlucky as of late. The gelding has the speed to lead and I think will run a bold race.

ERNIE: Texas Tara has won only once in his past 22 starts and was beaten at his last four appearances. But he is another pacer who can benefit from a pole draw. The gelding, trained and driven by Luke Edwards, fought on with determination when third behind Hittheroadjack last Friday night.

WAYNE: Rocknroll Whitby appeals as a great each-way chance in race eight. He loves the longer trip, is drawn to get a soft run and has run second at his past two starts. The red lights are flashing.

KEN: For value, I suggest Iamthefirecracker, whose recent efforts have been encouraging. He gets an ideal opportunity from the No. 1 barrier in race five to show his worth as a frontrunner.

HAYDEN: Black Jack Zac made up many lengths last week, off the pegs, in a quick last 800m. He’s drawn to get the perfect run behind the favourite over the long trip and can be very dangerous.

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

Good punting.

To view the fields for Gloucester Park on Friday click here.

By Wayne Currall for Gloucester Park