WA Media Guild Friday’s thoughts

The members of the WA Trotting Media Guild are confident they can give punters some much-needed cash over the festive period with their specials for Friday night’s meeting at Gloucester Park.

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The boys at TABradio – Hayden King and Matt Young – are keen on Alta Intrigue in race three.

“Alta Intrigue put the writing on the wall with a close-up effort behind Wildwest in a tremendous FFA last week,” King said. “This is a step below and he has the class factor to take all the beating.”

And Young agrees with his colleague.

“Alta Intrigue has been racing in sharp form in tougher races,” Young said. “This is a nice drop in grade and he is a versatile type. Looks a good race for him.”

The West Australian’s Ernie Manning believes punters can profit by supporting Ideal Agent in race eight.

“Ideal Agent  completed a hat-trick recently and he can bounce back to the winners’ list after facing the breeze when second to highly rated New Zealand import Ragazzo Mach,” Manning said. “Co-trainers Greg and Skye Bond have brought Ideal Agent back to peak form at a time when an eight-run losing sequence suggested he could have been on his mark.”

Award-winning journalist Ken Casellas has opted for the squaregaiter Goodtime Pe Rabbit as his best bet for the night.

“It’s far from a great record in stands – 34 starts for only four wins, seven seconds and four thirds – but I’m happy to make Goodtime Pe Rabbit my best bet when he starts from the front line in the final event at Gloucester Park on Friday evening,” Casellas said. “The veteran trotter revealed wonderful fighting qualities on Monday afternoon when he broke moments after the mobile start and then worked hard, out three wide, for the rest of the race in which he finished second to Shanhill.”

The West Australian’s racing co-ordinator Ryan Havercroft is a fan of Gambit, who goes around in race seven.

“Gambit forged to the top from the same draw a week ago to salute as a short-priced favourite,” Havercroft said. “Only missing the placings three times in nine local starts, the Gary Hall-trained gelding will press forward again and can win from the breeze should he not find the lead.”

Longshot guru Pat Harding and Media president Wayne Currall are keen on Minstrel in the free-for-all.

“Given the extreme heat, winners are going to be pretty tough to find,” Harding said. “However, my best bet comes up in race six with the Greg and Skye Bond-trained Minstrel coming from barrier 10 on the back line. Plenty of opportunity for Ryan Warwick to assess the field and make a withering run down the outside.”

And Currall agrees with Harding’s summation of the race.

“Minstrel has run two cracking races since returning from a spell and should be spot on for Friday night’s assignment,” Currall said. “As Pat indicated, Ryan Warwick has the luxury of letting the race unfold before he lets his charge loose. He can return to the winners’ list here.”

VALUE BETS

HAYDEN: Sport Sport Sport thundered home last start and gets the perfect draw behind the leader. She has improved with racing and if the gaps come look out.

MATT: Per Ardua Ad Astra has the draw to lead. This horse is a very good frontrunner and will run an exceptionally cheeky race at odds.

ERNIE: Burning Agent, a Gloucester Park placegetter at his past two starts, should not be underrated despite having drawn gate nine. He has won 17 races, including nine at headquarters.

KEN: For value, I suggest 10-year-old A Boy Named Rosie, who will start from the outside of the back line in race two. He extended his losing sequence to 26 when he was sixth at the bell and finished with a flourish to be a nose second to Batavia On Fire on Monday afternoon.

RYAN: I expect Vincenzo Perrugia to resist an early challenge from Major Martini and if he held the top an indicative price of $18 is inviting.

PAT: My double comes up in race nine with No. 5 Orlando Blue. I thank he can make it two wins in a row with Shannon Suvaljko aboard.

WAYNE: Pradason has shown gradual improvement since joining Aiden De Campo’s stable just over a year ago. His last-start third behind Hesashark was full of merit and he is poised to run a big race.

On behalf of the members of the WA Trotting Media Guild, I would like to wish readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year.

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

Good punting.

By Wayne Currall for Gloucester Park