Australian Analyst – Gloucester Park Preview 6th March
Eight races at Gloucester Park are covered in our Gloucester Park preview.
Gloucester Park has a smaller eight race program on Friday night as some of the west’s best mares contest the Group 3 The Lombardo.
Penny Black resumed in brilliant fashion last week and she is the dominant favourite to capture The Lombardo when she clashes with Little Darling, Alta Allure and Hunger Strike.
The fast class race this week isn’t a traditional FFA but the barrier draw ensures it will be a competitive race.
Here is our race-by-race guide to Gloucester Park’s harness racing meeting.
Gloucester Park Preview – Friday, March 6
Race 1
The opening race is extremely tricky to work out with the class runners drawing the outside barriers. HEEZ GOOD AS GOLD (9) can reel off 56 last halves when conditions suit and that may be required here to overcome barrier nine with Shannon Suvaljko driving. He finished third at his latest, but his run prior, when leading against stronger company and finishing 8.1m away for a seventh placing was quite good for this sort of race. Unlikely to be leading here unless Suvaljko lights the fuse off the arm.
Lang Inwood’s pair of VINTAGE BLU (8) and BEYOND BLING (7) are both good enough to win this despite the wide draws. GET YA BETS ON (5) has been going okay and wouldn’t shock if he won against this line up. PRIDDAH (4) has been running the quickest last quarters in the field, so if he lands close enough and only needs to make a small dash at them, he could definitely salute. That’s without mentioning REDDY TO FLY (1) who gets the inside gate and Chris Voak – both are positives.
Selections: 9-4-8-1
HEEZ GOOD AS GOLD (9) to win
Race 2
There looks to be a distinct class edge in favour of the Aiden De Campo-trained COMO EL VIENTO NZ (9) who will have the task of trying to win from barrier nine over the sprint distance. He should work into the race after 400m or so and will want the breeze position. A winner of eight races with 14 minor placings from 29 starts, the four-year-old gelding won the Williams Cup (2666m) by 26m. Still looks hard to beat.
The main danger is Aldo Cortopassi’s VINITA ROSE NZ (8) who was second two starts back behind Spitfire. She then failed to beat a runner home after having a gear malfunction so that run can be forgiven. Her best racing style is on speed so Cortopassi will be pressing forward immediately to stay ahead of the favourite.
Outside of that, MISS UNEEK (7), TUMBLIN DICE (10) and GOTA GOOD WARHOL (11) are the best place hopes.
Selections: 9-8-11-7
COMO EL VIENTO NZ (9) to win
Race 3
RESET THE BAR NZ (12) was a strong victory last week as he just failed to cross them at the start, slotted in three back on the pegs and found a gap at the top of the home straight to thunder home over the top of Sugar Shake. The start prior, he faced the breeze when second behind Kurious Boy which is also good form. His versatility suggests he is the horse to beat in this race for Gary Hall Jnr.
GOODTIME LOUIS (2) would have been my top pick if he had drawn barrier one and was leading. With FLYING RUMOUR (1) drawing the inside gate, things may not pan out as well for GOODTIME LOUIS (2). He was outclassed last time so this is back to his right class. At double figures, he is worth a small bet.
Outside of the favourite, it is a fairly even race where a lot of these horses could bob up to win. CHACO EAGLE (6) rates well sectionally and Vance Stampalia is likely to be aggressive early. LIL HAPPY FELLA (11) and MANHATTAN MOON (10) can both finish strongly from soft runs.
Selections: 12-2-6-11
RESET THE BAR NZ (12) to win
GOODTIME LOUIS (2) to win
Race 4
Another tricky race where in-form pacers PETES HONOUR (5) and MINOS NZ (6) will settle on the speed with the former potentially leading and the latter outside of him. WHOS THE DAD (1) is another who could get involved but will most likely sit over the 2536m distance. Going to throw out my top pick at big odds in the form of the Ashleigh Markham-trained CODENAME MARCUS (2). He is racing very well right now and will look to capitalise on any mid-race pressure in the race. Five starts back he was a 1:53.7 winner in the Nights of Thunder Heat. Three starts back, he was beaten 5.5m by Sorridere which is good enough form to win this race. Needs luck but can finish strongly if conditions suit.
PETES HONOUR (5) and MINOS NZ (6) have both won three and two races in a row respectively. Both can win again. STAR CASINO NZ (9) is the class runner of the field and has winning claims despite barrier nine. He loves the staying trip more than most, so this is perfect for him. I will be backing him too.
The Bond pair of TUALOU NZ (10) and THELITTLE MASTER (11) are capable of winning this race also, such is the difficulty in narrowing this race down.
Selections: 2-9-6-5
CODENAME MARCUS (2) each way
Race 5
The feature race of the night is the Group 3 The Lombardo (2130m) and unlike the previous race, we have a dominant favourite in PENNY BLACK NZ (8) and rightly so. Emily Suvaljko drives the star WA mare who resumed with a win last week. She is tough, has the draw advantage over LITTLE DARLING (9) and will be driven like the best horse in the race. The market hasn’t missed her though, as she is currently a $1.60 favourite.
Trying to find a bit more value here, ALTA ALLURE (5) is a mare that requires luck against the best company. She is quick and can thunder home if she settles close enough to the speed. She won the Group 3 Laurie Kennedy (1730m) three starts back and was third behind PENNY BLACK NZ (8) last start. Looks an each-way prospect.
LITTLE DARLING (9) having the car park draw makes things tougher for her. Prefer to wait for her to draw better. HUNGER STRIKE (3), MADAM PUBLISHER NZ (6) and WATER LOU (12) are next best.
Selections: 8-5-9-3
ALTA ALLURE (5) each way
Trifecta: 8 / 3,5,9 / 3,5,6,9,12
Race 6
LINCOLN RIVER NZ (9) was breathtaking last start, winning by a huge space in 1:55.5, 55.6. The outside barrier is a little concerning, but he was a strong second from barrier eight two starts ago, running home in 55.6 seconds. It could be one of those cases where you aren’t entirely sure how he will win if potential leader SPYGLASS NZ (6) gets away with a cheap quarter, but he has been brilliant in his wins, so may just produce more of that as he continues to win his way towards open class racing.
Lindsay Harper prepares both SPYGLASS NZ (6) and CHIVALRY NZ (7). Both horses at their best can win this race and having the draw advantage over the favourite is a big help. MY COPY NZ (1) has strong place claims from the inside draw.
Selections: 9-6-1-7
Trifecta: 6,9 / 1,6,7,9 / 1,6,7,9
Race 7
The return of the Michael Young-trained LINCOLN LOU NZ (6) and he should kick off his campaign with victory. He raced well against top 3YO company in the west and this is a huge class drop on any of that racing. Warmed up with a Byford trial win and there shouldn’t be anything in this field that troubles him. As such, he is the $1.30 favourite.
BEAT THE BANK (3) and CEE DEE THREE (6) are the most logical rivals to fill that second place spot. The latter needed to draw inside the favourite to potentially hold the lead but he still would have likely handed over to the class runner of the field.
Selections: 6-7-3-4
Exacta: 6 / 3,7
Race 8
The last race has a $2 favourite at the time of writing in XCITE ME NZ (5). There’s no way I could steer anyone into the mare at a short price. If she produces her run from two starts ago, then she wins this race. Sometimes she can throw in a poor performance like her Northam run four starts back.
WALL STREET GIRL (8) can be a tricky horse to catch. She can show moments of brilliance. Her recent form is good and she is capable of working in this company and still being in the finish. Drawing wide feels like a good thing for this mare who can do things wrong, so she should be able to settle and then be put into the race if Chris Lewis desires.
GREGARMY (1) resumes and his best form is good enough to win. It will be a matter of how forward he is for the first-up assignment. Most of the field are capable of winning this race with the right run.
Selections: 8-5-1-2
WALL STREET GIRL (8) to win
Summary
Best Bet: Race 2 – COMO EL VIENTO NZ (9)
Next Best: Race 3 – RESET THE BAR NZ (12)
Best Value: Race 8 – WALL STREET GIRL (8)
Best Roughie: Race 4 – CODENAME MARCUS (2)
For complete Gloucester Park entries, click here.
by Trent Orwin for Harnesslink
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