WA Media Guild Saturday’s thoughts

We have a rare metro meeting at Gloucester Park on Saturday night to avoid a Friday night clash with the football finals at Optus Stadium.

And members of the WA Trotting Media Guild are confident of finding plenty of winners on the nine-event card.

TABradio colleagues Matt Young and Hayden King have settled on Walsh as their best bet.

“Walsh was superb first-up for the new stable, doing all the hard work in good time,”Young said. “This is a suitable race and he looks the winner.”

And King agrees.

“Walsh has rejuvenated form since joining Nathan Turvey and strikes the right race on Saturday night,” King said. “Although beaten by stablemate The White Rabbit last start, he still ran a top race and should be hard to hold out in race seven.”

But longshot guru Pat Harding doesn’t see the race panning out the same way as the TABradio boys.

“This Saturday night at GP could be a good one for favourite,” Harding said. “My best bet comes up in race seven with No. 4 Valbonne. He hasn’t had much luck in recent races but I think this is a pretty open affair and with Gary Hall Jr aboard I think he can claim a much-needed win.”

The West Australian’s racing co-ordinator Ryan Havercroft is keen on the returning Lawrence in the night’s only stand.

“Lawrence was near-faultless from the stand last time in and a small field enables him to settle closer from a 30m handicap for his first-up assignment,” Havercroft said. “Has won on both occasions when first-up since coming to Australia.”

Award-winning journalist Ken Casellas believes punters can line their pockets with the hard-earned stuff by supporting Lord Rosco in the opening event.

“Lord Rosco has a losing sequence of 12, but I’m confident he will end an 11-month drought by proving too speedy for his rivals at Gloucester Park on Saturday night,” Casellas said. “I’m making the Stephen Reed-trained six-year-old my best bet because he will appreciate racing over 2130m this week after he led and was beaten in the final stride by the jet-propelled Boom Time over 2536m on Friday of last week.”

The West Australian’s Ernie Manning has opted for the in-form Wainui Creek as his star bet.

“The Greg and Skye Bond-trained Wainui Creek is again near form which enabled her to win a New Zealand feature event,” Manning said. “She scored the third win from her last four starts when successful at Pinjarra last Monday. A slump was struck by the five-year-old after she won at three of four appearances last year, when early in her WA career.  She was later unplaced at four consecutive starts, but the form dip now seems well behind her.”

Media Guild president Wayne Currall believes Euphoria can go one better than he did last Friday night.

“Euphoria has finished second at his past three starts and is overdue for a win,” Currall said. “I think the son of American Ideal has found the right race on Saturday night and he should be saluting. He won’t be at any fancy odds but could be a banker for all-ups.”

VALUE BETS

MATT: Three Rumours can cause the upset, more experience and a good draw could see her turn the tables on Always An Angel.

HAYDEN: Gee Smith is highly adept from behind the tapes and that will allow himself a contesting position early. He can reel off a quick half and is not to be underestimated.

PAT: My double comes up in race four with No. 5 Boom Time. He had a good win last start and I am confident that Emily Suvaljko can make it back-to-back victories.

RYAN: Silver Star Lombo was enormous last time out at Northam, unleashing a last-to-first move over the final lap.

KEN: For value, I suggest Valbonne in race seven in which there is little encouraging exposed form. He should appreciate a drop in class and should be up in the firing line from barrier four. He has the class to bounce back to form after starting at long odds at his past couple of starts.

ERNIE: Six-year-old Regal Cheval has won only once in his past 25 starts, but he impressed when fighting on to finish second after facing the breeze at Gloucester Park  last Friday. He looks close to breaking through for the 12th victory of his career.

WAYNE: Our Star Billing is drawn to lead in the last race. She’s a much better filly in front and I think trainer-driver Donald Harper will give her every chance to upset the favourite Always An Angel.

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

Click here to view the fields for Gloucester Park this Saturday.

Good punting on Saturday night.

By Wayne Currall for Gloucester Park