The supremely-bred Soho Americano looks one to follow for Burrumbeet trainer-driver Michael Stanley after an impressive trial performance at Maryborough last week.
Stanley’s charge got a tip of the cap from Harness Racing Victoria form analyst Craig Rail, who slipped the unraced daughter of American Ideal into his Blackbook.
“She created a good impression after settling four back on the markers and coming to the outside with 600m remaining before sprinting quickly to land the prize,” Rail wrote.
“She did seem to switch off when she hit the lead on the home turn, so she appears to have a promising future.”
Others added to the Blackbook from the Victorian trials circuit last week were Bandit Eyes for trainer Wayne Gretgrix and Hot Rocks for Aaron Dunn.
TRIAL REPORT
MARYBOROUGH 20/01/24
Trial 1: – ROCK N ROLL DOO NZ has recently returned from his Queensland Inter Dominion campaign and was able to score comfortably in the opening trial. He worked to the front shortly after the start and dashed well clear at the end, recording a slick final quarter of 26.8 seconds. SOHO MOONRAKER finished in second after trailing the leader throughout with CLEM MCCARDLE (3 back markers) being the third horse to cross the line. SOHO MOONRAKER returns from a spell in the Wedderburn Cup at Maryborough on Sunday afternoon.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.1 Last Half: – 56.2 Margins: – 12m, 8m
Trial 2: – The smart trotter SER PATRICK hasn’t started since finishing second in the Vicrbred Platinum Metropolitan Trot in May but he appeared to be very sharp at his comeback trial, winning by a good margin. He was without cover early, restrained to be five back on the markers then moved into the death seat again at the bell so it was a tidy performance. EMILY MEAGAN trailed the leader before coming to the outside in the home straight and finished off well for second with the early leader STINGOFAWASP being the third horse past the post. EMILY MEAGAN is competing at Melton on Monday afternoon.
Mile Rate: – 2.2.8 Last Half: – 59.2 Margins: – 10m, 15m
Trial 3: – SOHO AMERICANO is a Michael Stanley prepared juvenile, which is by American Ideal out of Soho Interceptor (1.55.9, $177,634), a Group 1 winning daughter of another Group 1 winner in Aussie Made Lombo (1.55.1, $578,456), which is the daughter of the champion mare Tailamade Lombo (1.55.3, $1,354,978) so it is an outstanding maternal family. She created a good impression after settling four back on the markers and coming to the outside with 600m remaining before sprinting quickly to land the prize. She did seem to switch off when she hit the lead on the home turn so she appears to have a promising future. THINKFAST RUNFAST finished in second after trying to lead all of the way with PERFECT PEACH (behind leader) finishing in third position.
Mile Rate: – 2.5.3 Last Half: – 59.4 Margins: – 4m, 15m
BLACKBOOKER: – Soho Americano
Trial 6: – GEMAEDDE is a 3yo filly for trainer Aaron Dunn, which finished off strongly to score over WICHITA DANCE. She settled seventh on the markers, moved into the running lane at the 1400m, landed the one out and one back trail at the 900m and finished off strongly out wide on the track to win nicely. It was a good hit-out for her first up performance at Stawell on Friday afternoon. WICHITA DANCE finished second after setting the speed and BACCHANALIAN did a good job to be third across the line after racing without cover throughout. Both WICHITA DANCE and BACCHANALIAN will be competing at Stawell on Friday afternoon.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.9 Last Half: – 58.2 Margins: – 1m, 9m
Trial 7: – JAZZY MELEA is another unraced 3yo filly for trainer Aaron Dunn, which impressed at the trials. She settled three back on the markers, moved into the running lane at the quarter pole (1-2) and produced a big finishing burst to get up and win on the line. Both her and her stable mate GEMAEDDE appear to be race winners in the near future but they are competing against each other at Stawell on Friday afternoon. They both performed well enough in their trial performances to suggest they will be highly competitive in their first up assignments. INAUGURATE finished in second after settling six back on the inside and moving into the one out and one back trail in the back straight on the final occasion. He went back to the inner on the home turn and worked home well via the sprint lane. He returns from a spell at the Wedderburn @ Maryborough meeting on Sunday afternoon. The early leader LOAN SAILOR finished in third ahead of MISSMALACHITE, which settled four back on the markers and moved into the death seat with 700m remaining.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.7 Last Half: – 59.2 Margins: – Neck, 6m
Trial 8: – HOT ROCKS hasn’t started since an unplaced effort at Horsham in June but produced a very good performance to win the trial. He was three back on the markers, moved into the one out and one back trail at the quarter pole and finished off swiftly in slick final sectionals to get the chocolates. He has a low National Rating of 49 and is worth following. TRIPLE ZED finished in second after setting a genuine tempo in the lead with RUDY GEE being in third spot after trailing the leader and coming to the outside at the 500m mark. RUDY GEE is competing against a very strong field in the Caduceus 3yo Classic at Melton on Saturday night.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.0 Last Half: – 57.2 Margins: – Head, 5m
BLACKBOOKER: – Hot Rocks
COBRAM 21/01/24
Trial 1: – AXINITE hasn’t started since galloping away and finishing unplaced at Young back in August. He has returned to trainer Mark Buckingham and was able to dead-heat for first in the only trial at Cobram for the week. PARISIAN BANDIT was the other horse involved in the dead-heat. He is a trotting bred pacer, which won a race at Shepparton in June and finished unplaced at his latest attempt at Charlton on January 12. ALLSOP was third across the line with OUR MADIBA NZ being last of the four runners to complete the course.
Mile Rate: – 2.5.4 Last Half: – 59.8 Margins: – Dead-heat, 5m
GEELONG 22/01/24
Trial 1: – RAKERO REBEL NZ took on the trotters from the standing start as a lead up to her first up effort in the Ladyship Cup at Melton on Saturday night. She was a distant third from her big handicap early, tacked onto the leading duo at the 1200m, moved into the one out and one back trail at the 700m and produced a strong finishing burst at the end to win the trial comfortably. She should run a big race first up, even though she will be taking on a much stronger field than she competed against in the trial. OLLIVICI NZ continues to trial well since returning from his Queensland Inter Dominion campaign. He began fast from his handicap and settled behind the leader before starting a run at the 700m mark. He is taking on Australia’s champion trotter Just Believe in the Dullard Cup at Melton on Saturday night but he should run his usual honest race.
Mile Rate: – 2.6.6 Last Half: – 58.4 Margins: – 4m, 8m
Trial 2: – GOLDEN SHOOZ is a juvenile filly for trainer Jess Tubbs. She is by freshman sire Captain Crunch, a son of boom sire Captaintreacherous, which paced 1.47.4 and amassed $1,725,495 in Stakes and she is out of the Group 1 winning mare Arts Treasure (1.50.9, $152,542) so she is bred to be fast. She led out, took cover at the 1100m and worked to the front again at the 900m mark before holding on to get the prize. WHISKEYDRINKINGBILL raced keenly in behind the leader before coming to the outside at the half mile marker and battled away nicely for second. HARLEEQUIN is another beautifully bred filly for the Jess Tubbs stable being by Betting Line out of Wha Hae (1.53.8, $23,710), which is out of the top Queensland mare Good Lookin Girl (1.53.7, $361,445). She was without cover early before pushing forward to take the lead then restrained for cover behind her stable mate GOLDEN SHOOZ and was third across the line at the end.
Mile Rate: – 2.9.1 Last Half: – 61.7 Margins: – 1.5m, 5m
BENDIGO 22/01/24
Trial 1: – TICKTOK won a trial in a field of two for trainer Michael Bellman at Maryborough on the Saturday then was transferred to Rebecca Morrissey and won a trial for the new stable two days later at Bendigo on the Monday. She stepped away well from the standing start and worked forward to find the lead on the first turn then never looked like being beaten thereafter. She is competing at the Wedderburn @ Maryborough meeting on Sunday and is not without a chance. HEPHAESTUS PHOENIX settled down last of the four runners after commencing from the handicap of 40m before moving into the one out and one back trail at the 800m mark and finished off reasonably well for second. WHOS THE MAN also commenced from the handicap of 40m and stepped away well to be in third spot early before moving up without cover with a half mile remaining. He peaked on his run late and was third across the line.
Mile Rate: – 2.6.1 Last Half: – 58.3 Margins: – 10m, 20m
Trial 3: – THE ANSWER was able to build up some confidence leading up to the Caduceus 3yo Classic at Melton on Saturday night with a comfortable victory in the third trial. He led early, took a trail at the 1300m then started his winning move with 500m remaining. He is racing in career best form and finished quickly for an eye-catching third in the Graham Head Memorial on Shepparton Cup night at his latest race track appearance. KITSUNE finished second after being three back on the markers throughout and SALSAWITHSIERRA (4 back markers) was the third horse past the post.
Mile Rate: – 2.2.3 Last Half: – 60.5 Margins: – 5m, 30m
Trial 4: – CLAUDYS SECRET is a beautifully bred maiden trotter, which has been placed in six of her ten starts to date. She has recently joined trainer Kent Harpley and was able to lead throughout to win her trial over the unraced mare SELLARONDA, which is by Quaker Jet out of the Group 2 winning mare Val Gardena (1.59.9, $122,280). She has already produced Gardena Ronda (1.57.4, $108,861) and SELLARONDA is the second foal so she has the breeding to become a nice trotter. She was three back on the markers in the trial, came to the outside at the 600m mark and went to the line with plenty in reserve.
Mile Rate: – 2.7.2 Last Half: – 60.5 Margins: – 7m, 30m
Trial 5: – BANDIT EYES recorded an impressive win in the fifth event. He began quickly to lead and raced very keenly during the middle stages but still had enough in reserve to dash away from his rivals to win the trial easily. He has a low National Rating of 48 so he is worth following. THE IRON DUKE settled three back on the inside and finished in second position. SURBITON HARTBREAK came from last of the five runners to pick up third.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.1 Last Half: – 59.0 Margins: – 20m, 3m
BLACKBOOKER: – Bandit Eyes
Trial 8: – The classy Alex Ashwood trained mares MAJOR FIRE NZ and TAY TAY had a match race to end the program. MAJOR FIRE NZ led throughout and was untroubled in holding out TAY TAY in the run to the finish. TAY TAY did come to the outside on the home turn to try and lengthen but she only held her ground in the latter stages. She is racing in the Ladyship Cup at Melton on Saturday night. The winner MAJOR FIRE NZ appears to be a very strong winning chance at the Wedderburn @ Maryborough meeting on Sunday afternoon.
Mile Rate: – 1.58.8 Last Half: – 58.4 Margin: – 4m
SHEPPARTON 23/01/24
Trial 1: – ALL ITTOOK followed up her nice trial effort a week earlier, where she finished off fast, with a victory in the opening event. She hasn’t started since racing in the Super Series Silver event in September but she is showing promise and is still learning. She led throughout and raced greenly but was able to hang on in the straight to get the job done. A LOT LIKE LOUIE settled last on the markers and produced a big finish to run into a close second. SPEEDY SPIDER settled three back on the inside and finished a head away in third position ahead of RONNIE THE HAMMER (4 back markers).
Mile Rate: – 2.1.7 Last Half: – 58.7 Margins: – Neck, head
Trial 3: – CAPTAIN HAMMERHEAD continued his impressive trial form with a victory over the in-form open class pacer MAX DELIGHT. He led out then took cover behind MAX DELIGHT and sprinted sharply at the end to grab victory on the line. STAG PARTY NZ was last of the three runners throughout.
Mile Rate: – 1.58.0 Last Half: – 55.8 Margins: – Head, 18m
