Harness Racing Victoria form guru Craig Rail has highlighted several eye-catching performers from the trials last week in Victoria, with two blackbookers coming from Ballarat.
Bettor Beach produced a big finish to get the prize, while star juvenile Loucasso was brilliant to the line.
COBRAM 13/11/25
Trial 1: – REGAZZO MAJOR NZ was the class runner of the trial and was able to score by a comfortable margin. He backed up at Bendigo on Wednesday night and finished unplaced. CHEEZ finished in second position for trainer Peter Romero and is backing up at Wagga this evening. SUMMER SCHOOL and TWIST TEE finished third and fourth respectively.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.9 Last Half: – 60.2 Margins: – 10m, 1m
Trial 2: – JAPANESE MIKI hasn’t raced since an unplaced effort at Shepparton in November 2024. He was a winner in August 2024 and was able to take out the trial over two unraced juveniles. OUR MONARCH, a filly by American Ideal was the second horse across the line and the Sally McPherson trained trotter THE WRECKING BALL finished last of the trio.
Mile Rate: – 2.8.9 Last Half: – 61.0 Margins: – Head, 20m
CRANBOURNE 16/11/25
Trial 1: – CAPTAIN TIDS trailed the leader, moved away from the markers on the home turn and finished off best to win the trial in reasonable time. MAVERICKS JET began quickly to find the lead and was run down over the final stages but finished well clear of the others. KARTIARE broke stride at the start and gave away a big start. He chased hard and did a big job to finish as close as he did.
Mile Rate: – 1.59.7 Last Half: – 57.8 Margins: – 6.5m, 23.5m
Trial 2: – ROBUST SALLY is an unraced filly by Betting Line out of Forest Bliss for trainer Scott Ewen. She raced without cover early, moved to the front at the 1300m and was able to hold on to score. KITTY CASH settled three back on the markers, moved to the death seat at the 500m and finished off well to run a close second. LITTLE TEDEY led out then took cover behind the eventual winner. He finished a distant third and will be backing up at Shepparton on Tuesday night.
Mile Rate: – 2.2.9 Last Half: – 59.6 Margins: – Neck, 17m
MILDURA 17/11/25
Trial 2: – DESTINY KEPT began quickly and was able to find the lead shortly after the start. She ran along at a genuine tempo and zipped well clear at the end to score by a large margin. MISTER NIEN trailed the leader throughout and finished a distant second. Both DESTINY KEPT and MISTER NIEN are backing up at Mildura this afternoon. BEAUDIENESGOLD was without cover early, eased to be three back on the markers at the 1300m mark and ended up being the third horse across the line.
Mile Rate: – 1.59.8 Last Half: – 59.9 Margins: – 30m, 15m
Trial 3: – LOYOLA SPIAGGIA gained a one out and one back trail, came out three horses wide at the 600m mark and sustained a long run to claim victory on the line. He is backing up at Mildura this afternoon. OUR MASTER PLAY attempted to lead throughout and just failed to hold on. GLITZY ALL OVER trailed the leader, obtained an inside run and was third past the post. MEMPHIS BLASTER NZ was three back on the markers and snared fourth position.
Mile Rate: – 2.2.3 Last Half: – 59.3 Margins: – Head, 2.5m
Trial 4: – WIPEOUT is a former New South Wales pacer, which has joined trainer Boris Devcic and makes his local debut at Mildura this afternoon. He showed good gate speed to lead, ran along at a genuine tempo and ran his rivals ragged in a slick mile rate of 1.58.3 so it was an impressive display. UNITED finished in second after sitting in the trail throughout and RONZEL RAFA (3 back markers) was beaten by a long margin in third but he was racing way outside of his class range.
Mile Rate: – 1.58.3 Last Half: – 58.4 Margins: – 30m, 25m
MARYBOROUGH 17/11/25
Trial 1: – ALWAYSTHE PRINCESS is a rising 2yo pacer for trainer Damian Burns. She has performed well in several recent trial performances and was able to defeat ASHANTE CADMAN in the opening trial. THEMIDNIGHTEXPRESS is another rising 2yo for the Burns stable and finished a close up third. She is by Ride High out of Ourlittle Princess, which is the unraced daughter of Princess Dilinger, whom is the dam of the winner.
Mile Rate: – 2.2.7 Last Half: – 59.4 Margins: – 1m, 1m
TRIAL 3: – JOE GOT ROLLED hasn’t raced since being unplaced three times in succession at Melton in July. She recorded reasonable time in her trial success over the smart trotters PRINCE OF ROCK and NEPHEW OF SONOKO. PRINCE OF ROCK hasn’t raced since December 2024 and NEPHEW OF SONOKO has been freshened since his unplaced performance in the Dullard Cup. VAPAR BRENDA was the fourth horse to cross the line.
Mile Rate: – 2.2.4 Last Half: – 57.7 Margins: – 8m, Short head
Trial 4: – ROCKNROLL WILLOW is a smart 2yo pacer, which won two races in succession prior to finishing third at Bendigo. He has been kept ticking over nicely with several good trial performances and he took out the last event on the card by a handy margin. He is racing at Horsham on Monday and should go well. ARE WEASLEY hasn’t raced since locking wheels and losing his chance at Melton in August. He finished in second with IM THE REASON, which is engaged to race at Horsham on Monday, being the third horse across the line.
Mile Rate: – 2.4.8 Last Half: – 57.6 Margins: – 14m, 5m
GEELONG 17/11/25
Trial 1: – All four horses in the trial are rising juveniles and are under the care of trainer Courtney Slater. LAMBRO LOUELLA came out on top after trailing the leader and coming to the outside on the home turn. She is by Sweet Lou out of Machabella (2.1.4), which has produced the outstanding pacer Emain Macha (1.53.5, $298,519) along with Labella Rock (1.56.4), Wemen Macha (1.55.4) and Lambro Mach (1.57.1). LAMBRO DELROSE finished in second after trying to lead throughout. She is by Raging Bull out of De Lovely Rose, a daughter of the great mare De Lovely and dam of two winners including Staroftheshow (1.53.6, $86,890). FREMARKS STREAKA was the first of the trotters to cross the line after being three back on the markers and coming out three horses wide on the home turn. She is by On A Streak out of Maoris Got Muscle and is related to the two winners Fremarkstilly (1.56.6, $37,676) and Fremarks Peggy (1.59.8). ORLANDO VEYRON was last of the four runners throughout. He is by Orlando Vici out of Archangel Liz (unraced) and is the first foal out of the dam.
Mile Rate: – 2.13.7 Last Half: – 65.1 Margins: – 4m, 6m
Trial 2: – CARLA PIXIE NZ settled three back on the markers and moved into the death seat at the quarter pole. She sustained a good run and was able to win clearly at the end. BAR TAB began quickly to lead, raced roughly at various stages of the trial and held down second. DESERT ROYALE trailed the leader throughout, came to the outside at the 300m and battled away for third. He is competing at Geelong this evening. ROWDY KYVALLEY was last of the four trotters throughout.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.0 Last Half: – 59.9 Margins: – 8m, 3m
Trial 4: – OUR MARVELLA NZ raced without cover early and pushed forward to find the lead. She set up a genuine tempo and was able to hold on over the latter stages to get the prize. FOUROUTOFFIVE settled five back on the markers, moved into the death seat at the 800m mark and battled on very strongly for a game second. MORE WANTED led out then took cover and held his own in the straight to finish in third. He is resuming from a spell at Geelong this evening. DESERT ASSASSIN was four back on the markers and was fourth across the line.
Mile Rate: – 1.59.1 Last Half: – 58.2 Margins: – 1m, 3m
Trial 7: – RAKAROMPA NZ was a distant fourth early, moved around to be three back on the pegs at the 1300m and came away from the markers on the home turn. She produced a big finish and was able to win, drawing away at the end. MIDNIGHT CRIMES began quickly and set up a genuine tempo. She was run down at the end but she beat the remainder of the field by a large margin and appears to be a value hope at Shepparton on Tuesday night. JUST PEDRO began quickly to trail the leader, moved to the outside at the 500m but raced very roughly shortly afterwards and ended up being in a distant third.
Mile Rate: – 1.59.4 Last Half: – 59.7 Margins: – 15m, 20m
BALLARAT 18/11/25
Trial 1: – BETTOR BEACH settled three back on the markers, angled wide at the 100m mark and produced a big finish to get the prize on the line. ENJOY LIFE trailed the leader and came to the outside at the 300m. He loomed up to win in the straight but he couldn’t repel the challenge of his stable mate. DE BEAU ROCK finished in third after attempting to lead throughout. He is backing up at Ballarat on Thursday night.
Mile Rate: – 1.59.1 Last Half: – 57.0 Margins: – 1m, 3m
BLACKBOOKER: – Bettor Beach
Trial 2: – WILLOWS GIRL settled three back on the inside, moved into the one out and one back trail at the 500m and finished off best to score in handy time. SEGUI LE STELLA set up a genuine tempo in the front running role and went down fighting in second. DEGARMEA TEALE trailed the leader, came to the outside at the 500m and broke stride with 300m remaining. She recovered to finish a distant third.
Mile Rate: – 1.58.2 Last Half: – 57.0 Margins: – Head, 30m
Trial 3: – LOUCASSO was without cover early, angled in behind the leader at the 500m and moved away from the inside approaching the home turn. He dashed home in brilliant final sectionals and scored convincingly. CLARA ROCKS attempted to lead throughout and broke stride on the home turn. She got going again to finish second ahead of NAKULA NZ, which trailed the leader and came to the outside at the 500m mark. CLARA ROCKS is racing at Horsham on Monday afternoon.
Mile Rate: – 1.57.0 Last Half: – 55.3 Margins: – 25m, 20m
BLACKBOOKER: – Loucasso
Trial 4: – MET WITH A SHRUG trailed the leader and came to the outside on the home turn. She was able to get up in the run to the finish. ALDEBARAN BRIANNA settled three back on the inside, came out three horses wide on the home turn and finished off quickly for second. She is competing at Geelong this evening. BUCKLES FOR BERRY finished in third after attempting to lead throughout.
Mile Rate: – 2.4.7 Last Half: – 60.1 Margins: – 2m, 2m
