Pacing
SUPPORTERS got good value from the three Collie pacers which ran placings on the weekend.
On Saturday night in Bunbury, Bianca Ashcroft engaged Kyle Harper for her evergreen pacer Whatashambles.
The gelding was slow away from the stand and settled four back on the pegs before storming home in the late stages to grab third place right on the line.
His place dividend of $5.20 was welcomed by connections.
Wayne and Jack Justins took a team of five on the long trek to the Central Wheatbelt track in Kellerberrin and were rewarded with two thirds and a fourth.
Villa Couture was three wide late with a trail before finishing third, paying a nice $4.30 for the place.
In the final event Grandpa Jim was unlucky in his third when he locked wheels with the second-placed horse.
His return was $2.70.
Peter Hemsley took his two-year-old to Gloucester Park on Tuesday evening, while the only meeting weekend was a Pinjarra card on Monday afternoon.
In the final event Trent Wheeler took the reins behind Graeme Waters entrant Jaspers Jazz and came home well from two back in the running line to go under by a whisker for a return of $3.50.
On Monday afternoon in the two-year-old event Peter Hemsley's Teal showed his placing at big odds at his last start was no fluke when Trent Wheeler sat behind the leader early before pushing out of the pocket in the back straight and following the favourite and winner for a nice second.
He again paid handsomely at $5.40 the place and paced a healthy 1.58.6 mile rate.
Later in the afternoon John Bell's Tom Henry ran second to the good mare and odds-on favourite Arma Express after coming from one out, one back for the De Campo stable.
He paid $1.70 the place but astute punters could have picked up on the $2.45 available for the place in fixed odds betting.
Two weeks ago in Narrogin there was great value for supporters of Collie pacers and reinsmen with two long-priced winners.
After a good win in a trial at Bunbury the previous week, Martin Ashcroft's evergreen pacer Sir Escapealot jumped well in the standing start event but settled well back, four back on the pegs.
However in the final lap reinsman Trent Wheeler was able to extricate him out of the pocket for him to fly home down the outside to win running away at the extremely lucrative odds of $46.80 the win and $6.30 the place.
This was outstanding value for such a consistent standing start performer.
In the final event the Ashcrofts again tasted success when Errol piloted daughter Bianca's nomination Power of Hearts to an all-the-way win, also at great odds of $29.50 and $4.40.
The Monday Pinjarra meeting, run in torrential rain, produced another couple of great value place getters for Collie connections.
In the two-year-old event Peter Hemsley's Art Major gelding Teal struck form when he was well driven by Trent Wheeler in the one wide line before running home stoutly for third.
His place price was an astounding $28 for those lucky enough to have a go at him.
Later in the programme Christian Banner, for Matthew White and David Hunter ran third after sitting three back on the pegs.
He has also been consistent and was great value at $2.90.
Gloucester Park tomorrow night and another Bunbury meeting on Saturday evening, then Pinjarra on Monday afternoon wrap up the racing this weekend.
