WA Media Guild Friday’s thoughts

Only nine races at Gloucester Park on Friday night but members of the WA Trotting Media Guild have settled on some best bets to line the pockets of harness racing punters.

TABradio’s Hayden King is keen on Ima Fivestar General in the stand.

“Ima Fivestar General is on his way to burgeoning upon FFA company and I think he is a class apart from rivals on Friday night,” King said. “He can come from behind and round them up.”

Award-winning journalist Ken Casellas has made Dont Bother Me None as his star bet.

“Dont Bother Me None bounced back to his best form last week with an impressive victory, and the Greg and Skye Bond-trained four-year-old is my best bet on Friday night,” Casellas said. “He looks set to repeat the dose from barrier four in the opening event. He is a smart pacer on the way up.”

TABradio’s Matt Young is a fan of Hengheng for trainer-driver Lindsay Harper.

“Hengheng has got the draw he needs,” Young said. “He’s had a couple of tune-up runs and I think he will be spot on fitness-wise, as well as leading this race. He looks the one to beat. Has only been beaten once when leading.”

The West Australian’s Ernie Manning has opted for Sheez Our Hope as his best for the night.

“Barrier one has delivered Sheez Our Hope the chance to notch her 10th win in a 23-start career,” Manning said. “The Michael Cornwall-trained six-year-old had to overcome gate eight a fortnight ago, when she battled on to finish fourth despite having raced three-wide. Sheez Our Hope, to be driven by Kyle Harper, has shown quality since winning four of her first five races. She recorded another impressive Gloucester Park victory last month.”

Longshot guru Pat Harding believes Vivere Damore is primed to salute.

“Should be an interesting night this Friday at GP with only nine races and small fields,” Harding said. “My best bet comes up in race three with No. 4 Vivere Damore. She has been about the place in recent races and with Gary Hall Jr aboard I think she can record a much-needed win.”

The West Australian’s racing co-ordinator Ryan Havercroft believes Jaspervellabeach can break back into the winners’ circle.

“Barrier one at Gloucester Park often trumps poor numerical form and Jaspervellabeach is another example of such,” Havercroft said. “No closer than fifth or within 11 metres of the winner in his last five efforts, the Gary Elson-trained son of Somebeachsomewhere will likely be an odds-on favourite when the mobile pulls away. Won at $1.16 last time he drew this barrier dating back to May last year.”

Media Guild president Wayne Currall is in the camp of Heez Our Perseus in race two.

“Gary Hall Jr should be able to dictate terms in front on polemarker Heez Our Perseus,” Currall said. “He’ll be short but looks the best of good things.”

Value bets

HAYDEN: Multi again this week. Dont Bother Me None will have to breeze but should be too strong in the first, Billy Mack (place only) in the second, Hengheng in the feature, Ima Fivestar General in the sixth, Valedictorian in the seventh, Jaspervellabeach in the eighth and Rich American in the last.

KEN: For value, I suggest Vivere Damore, who has splendid prospects of ending a losing sequence of 20 by proving too strong for her rivals in race three. Her recent performances have been excellent and I’m sure she will prove to be mighty hard to beat.

MATT: Vivere Damore is racing really well. I’m expecting her to give this a real shake.

ERNIE: Veteran gelding Billy Mack has not won for more than four years, but he ran an eye-catching third after facing the breeze last Friday night. Though the 11-year-old had been unplaced at his previous eight starts, last week’s effort did not appear to be a fluke and he seems capable of another bold run.

PAT: My double comes up in race nine with No. 4 Valbonne. He has been placed a number of times and I believe he’s ready for a win.

RYAN: Smallish fields make it hard to find value but I will lean towards Palatino on an each-way basis, following out Hengheng in Friday’s feature, The Group 2 Warwick.

WAYNE: Gee Smith is a brilliant stand horse and could prove hard to catch if Shannon Suvaljko can bounce him to the front over the short course.

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.