Four harness racing meetings will be held on Good Friday with Cranbourne, Hobart and Gloucester Park catching my eye. Here are our best bets for Friday night’s harness racing action!
Harness Racing Tips: Friday, April 18th 2025
Gloucester Park Race 1: AUTUMN SERIES 4YO+ NR 30-55 FINAL MS PACE (2130 METRES) – 4:48pm (6:48pm AEST)
(3) Marbeechsam has come up as favourite for the opening event and deservedly so following a dominant win in his heat. He sat 1 out 2 back before making a three-wide move without cover with 900m to travel. Ryan Warwick retains the drive on the gelding, and they draw barrier three this time around. Initial plans are likely to be searching for the front, but failing that, if he can obtain some cover behind Kingseat then he can prove hard to hold out late.
(6) Kingseat is racing in strong form for trainer-driver Aldo Cortopassi. They have combined for three victories in their past five runs, including a win in the first heat of this final. Since then, Kingseat was a strong third behind Cams Boulder and looms as the biggest danger to Marbeechsam.
(2) Sidstrepo was runner up behind Marbeechsam in the heat when tracking him into the race. He couldn’t go with him turning for home but still hit the line well and has each-way prospects.
(3) Marbeechsam WIN
$1.86 (3 Units)
Gloucester Park Race 2: AUTUMN SERIES 1-3 WIN FINAL MS PACE (2130 METRES) – 5:27pm (7:27pm AEST)
(4) Bettors Pride could not have been more impressive at his resumption to racing with a strong 6.4-metre victory over Rumble Strip in the second heat. Trained by Mike Reed, the four-year-old gelding flew the gate to cross Rumble Strip who was a $1.07 favourite for the event. From there, Shannon Suvaljko backed off the tempo with a cheap lead time and first quarter before ramping it up, including 27.4 and 27.9 final splits. The key is crossing early here so that is where this race could be decided.
(8) Belly Up is one of two Bond horses in the race, the other being Rumble Strip. Leading stable driver Deni Roberts has opted for the versatile three-year-old gelding despite drawing barrier eight. He was a winner of the first heat of this series and has since finished second behind the very smart Cyclone Jordy. Belly Up can do work in this grade and will be a big threat.
(2) Rumble Strip was beaten last time but far from disgraced when chasing home Bettors Pride. Stuart McDonald picks up the drive and will be handlebars down early trying to find the front ahead of Bettors Pride. If he finds the pegs, whether leading or trailing, then he has each-way claims in the event.
(4) Bettors Pride WIN
$2.30 (3 Units)
Gloucester Park Race 9: NR 70+ DISC. HANDICAP SS TROT (2536 METRES) - 9:20pm (11:20pm AEST)
(1) Bonnie Rae is a last-start winner over 2631m at Pinjarra when racing behind the leader and making a run down the outside late. The six-year-old mare has won two races this season and been placed a further three times from eight attempts. The front line helps her chances and at around the $10 mark, she is worth a bet as she will race on the speed.
(3) Dark Secret is a throw at the stumps in this event with the 11-year-old veteran on a big losing streak. His last win was back in March 2023, but he has been placed at his last two starts behind Bonnie Rae and Patched. He will be looking for a soft run and I wouldn’t be shocked if he bobbed up somewhere in the finish.
(9) Patched and (8) Chumani are the class runners of the race and on paper they should fight it out. They will contend with a 50m and 40m handicap respectively which means they cannot afford to be too tardy away at the start. Due to their handicaps, I am happy having spec bets on the two runners mentioned above.
(3) Dark Secret WIN $23 (0.5 Units)
(1) Bonnie Rae WIN
$10.20 (1 Unit)
Hobart Race 3: LADBROKES ODDS SURGE PACE (2090 METRES) – 7:05pm AEST
(1) Oneofthelads has won two of his past three starts for trainer Wayne Yole and he reunites with driver Mitch Ford. Both of his recent victories have been in NR 40 to 44 grade, so he does step up in class to tackle this NR 49 to 52. Ford should have the gate speed to hold the front if he chooses to do so, but there is a chance he will look to take a trail behind A Shadow Of Doubt. Either way, Oneofthelads is my top pick in the event from the inside draw.
(4) A Shadow Of Doubt won in this class last time out when leading throughout to defeat Park Lane. He is currently an odds-on favourite and I couldn’t take that price; his chances diminish if he is not able to find the lead in the event also.
(7) Always A Showgirl represents trainer-driver Todd Rattray with the three-year-old filly coming off a third placing last time at Launceston. The outside gate is against her here, however, she does boast consistent last half and quarter sectionals since arriving from Victoria and has claims if the race is run to suit her.
(1) Oneofthelads WIN $2.80 bet365 2 units
Cranbourne Race 6: MARK GURRY & ASSOCIATES TROT (1609 METRES) – 8:25pm AEST
(1) Jack Spat returned to racing with a second placing in this class when trailing Tracy The Jet and finishing 2.4m away. The four-year-old gelding has been a perennial runner up in his short career to date having faced the starter 11 times for one win and six seconds. He comes up with barrier one tonight and looms as the trotter to beat.
(6) Sassy Galleon is first up from a spell and has shown plenty of ability in her six career starts; they have produced two wins. I prefer to watch her first up effort but on talent alone, she is going to be in the thick of things in this event.
(4) Tunbridge is another trotter resuming from a spell for the Jess Tubbs and Greg Sugars combination. He was a winner two starts back before running fourth prior to a spell.
(1) Jack Spat WIN
$2.70 (2 Units)
