Trial File followers may be able to make a quick return with a new Blackbooker emerging just day’s ahead of their race return at the Yarra Valley on Monday.
Laura Crossland’s filly Chirripo won three of her 18 starts up to a spell in March and is set to return in the Blonde & Co Pace, race 7 on Monday.
She’ll have to overcome the tricky gate eight draw, but on her trial form – when she “went to the line hard” – suggested she deserved a close look.
Her trial replay is below, along with fellow Blackbook additions You Got Me Good, Northolt and Gotgeelingsyouknow amid this week’s highlights from the Victorian trials circuit.
SHEPPARTON 06/07/23
Trial 1: – CHEYELLA trailed the leader and moved to the outside at the 500m. She produced a strong finish and won nicely in fast time. LINE UP NZ settled five back on the inside, was four back at the 700m mark and made his run on the home turn. He chased hard in slick final sectionals and produced a tidy effort to finish second. He resumes at Kilmore tomorrow night in the Popular Alm Sprint, where he has drawn favourably. RESUME NZ attempted to lead throughout and was run down late but it was still a good effort considering she has a National Rating of 53 and was taking on the open class horses. She is resuming at Echuca in the opening heat of the Heidi George Classic on Tuesday night.
Mile Rate: – 1.57.3 Last Half: – 56.4 Margins: – 7m, 12m
Trial 2: – LENNYS ANGEL settled last of the six runners, moved into the death seat at the 1200m and hit the front with 300m remaining. She sustained the run to win nicely and backed up with a big victory at Shepparton on Tuesday night. KENLEY began quickly to race without cover, pressured the leader and dropped into the trail at the 1700m. He moved into the one out and one back trail at the half mile marker and battled on well in the straight. He is resuming at Wagga this afternoon and appears to be a strong winning chance. MAJOR SUSPECT settled three back on the inside, trailed the leader at the 800m and battled on fairly well for third. He is resuming at Echuca on Tuesday night.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.8 Last Half: – 58.3 Margins: – 3m, 6m
Trial 3: – THE LOCOMOTIVE was the star juvenile trotter of last season with his victories including the Breeders Crown and the Super Series Finals. He settled three back on the inside, moved to the outside at the 500m and finished off best. YOU GOT ME GOOD hasn’t raced since December but produced a very good performance to finish second. He attempted to lead throughout and it took THE LOCOMOTIVE the length of the straight to run him down. He has a very low National Rating of 49 so he is worth following. OVERIT was thirty metres away in third position after trailing the leader throughout.
Mile Rate: – 2.5.4 Last Half: – 59.5 Margins: – Neck, 30m
BLACKBOOKER: – You Got Me Good
Trial 5: – SWEET SANGRIA hasn’t raced since March and has changed stables since her latest performance. She settled five back on the inside, swept around the field to find the lead at the 1500m and remained strong at the finish. She is resuming at Wagga this afternoon and appears to be very well placed. CHIRRIPO began quickly to lead, took cover at the 1500m and went to the line hard held without peeling to the outside at any stage. She is awkwardly drawn at Yarra Valley on Monday but performed well enough in the trial to suggest she should go well. JUSTIFY was three back on the markers for the majority of the trial and moved to the outside with 300m remaining. He is out of the former top mare Jazzam and hasn’t raced since a debut victory in November 2021. He returns from a break at Echuca on Tuesday night and looks to be a chance so the form out of this trial could be very strong.
Mile Rate: – 2.2.6 Last Half: – 57.8 Margins: – 5m, 5m
BLACKBOOKER: – Chirripo
BACCHUS MARSH 08/07/23
Trial 3: – SEE YOU THERE hasn’t raced since being unplaced at Kilmore in August but he did well to win the third trial considering he had the lowest rating on the National Rating scale. She scored by a comfortable margin over the former Queensland pacer HITTHEROADJACK NZ with OOH AH LISTAH finishing in third position. OOH AH LISTAH resumes from a break at Melton this evening, where he is awkwardly drawn.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.7 Last Half: – 59.9 Margins: – 3m, 4m
Trial 5: – ROCKNROLL STARDOM is an unraced gelding for trainer Colin Holloway. He is by Rocknroll Heaven out of the race winning mare Ultimate CC (1.57.4) and is closely related to three winners including Cee Cee In America (1.53.0, $129,280). He recorded slow time but won the trial by a large margin and has the breeding to suggest he should be able to win races. PLATINUM JIVE NZ is a former New Zealand pacer, which has joined trainer Vic Pace. He finished second with WHENIGROWUP, a colt by Advance Attack NZ, being twelve metres away in third position.
Mile Rate: – 2.9.7 Last Half: – 60.4 Margins: – 15m, 12m
Trial 6: – WHY NOT DREAM hasn’t raced since an unplaced effort back in October but he took out the final trial by a narrow margin over FLOWERTOP MOUNTAIN. FLOWERTOP MOUNTAIN is returning from a spell at Melton tonight and has ability when racing at her peak. JUDES MY LIFE is a former New South Wales pacer, which makes her Victorian debut at Melton this evening. She finished in third spot and is perfectly drawn for tonight’s assignment.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.0 Last Half: – 61.8 Margins: – Nose, 8m
MARYBOROUGH 09/07/23
Trial 1: – LUDACROUS began quickly to find the lead, took cover at the 1600m and moved away from the inside on the home turn. She finished off best to defeat WONGA LAKE, which led out, took cover and moved to the front again with a mile remaining. MAJOR ANNIE NZ settled three back on the inside and used the sprint lane to finish in third. WONGA LAKE is taking on the smart former New Zealander Son of Mac at Melton this evening.
Mile Rate: – 1.58.8 Last Half: – 56.7 Margins: – 10m, 1m
Trial 6: – NICE ONE CENTURION is a colt by Sportswriter out of the good mare Here And Now (1.55.3, $88,022) and was a clear leader throughout to win nicely. OUR BETTER BRO trailed the leader throughout and finished second with HEAVENS GIFT (3 back pegs) finishing in third position. There are some quality juveniles currently racing but NICE ONE CENTURION does appear to have the ability to win races.
Mile Rate: – 2.2.4 Last Half: – 58.8 Margins: – 8m, 12m
Trial 9: – DOWN UNDER EARL prepared for his assignment at Melton this evening with a comfortable victory. He settled last of the three runners, moved away from the inside at the quarter pole and finished off best to defeat the early leader CELTIC CASH. BOUTIKA was last of the three runners to finish but never peeled to the outside at any stage and had something in reserve.
Mile Rate: – 2.10.0 Last Half: – 60.7 Margins: – 4m, 4m
ARARAT 09/07/23
Trial 1: – MAJESTIC PRIDE prepared for her performance at Melton this evening with a runaway victory in fast time. She has gait issues, particularly at the start of her races but she is a very good trotter when she is able to put it altogether and the trial win would have given her some confidence for tonight’s performance. ORPHAN ANDY finished second with the juvenile trotter STATELY SALOME being a distant third.
Mile Rate: – 2.1.8 Last Half: – 60.9 Margins: – 98m, 100m
Trial 2: – KOWALSKI ANALYSIS has a National Rating of 92 and his nearest rivals in the trial had ratings of 50 so he was very well placed. He won by a large margin and recorded handy time. OORAH was performing extremely well at the trials at the end of last season but never went to the races. His trial return was sound considering he finished second and was well clear of the remainder of the field. He is out of the outstanding mare Arms Of An Angel (1.49.5) and appears to have a promising future. NORMANDY NUGGET finished a distant third with MY MATE LUKE being in fourth.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.4 Last Half: – 57.5 Margins: – 27m, 37m
MELTON 11/07/23
Trial 1: – TIPSY TURVY took out the standing start trial for the trotters. She stepped away in fifth position, moved up without cover at the 700m and hit the front at the 400m. She sustained the run to win impressively from ROGUE GENTLEMAN, which settled three back on the markers. RED WHITE AN BLOOM settled four back on the inside and finished strongly for an eye-catching third with MEGEVE being fourth after trailing the leader throughout. MEGEVE is taking on a strong field for her first up run at Melton this evening.
Mile Rate: – 2.9.1 Last Half: – 57.74 Margins: – 9.5m, ½ head
Trial 4: – I AM PEGASUS began brilliantly to find the lead, ran along at an even tempo and was able to hold on score. BRANDLO PRINCE settled five back on the inside, moved into the one out and one back trail at the 400m, went back into the sprint lane and finished fast for an eye-catching second. JUST A BIT TOUCHY settled four back on the markers, angled wide on the home turn and also finished strongly, getting up to third position late. The American stallion ON A STREAK USA finished fourth after being three back on the markers and moving into the death seat at the 500m.
Mile Rate: – 2.2.2 Last Half: – 57.90 Margins: – ½ Neck, ½ Neck
Trial 5: – CAPTAIN GRAYWOOD gave an impressive front running display. He ran along at a genuine tempo and was never in danger of defeat. He has a low National Rating of 49 so he is worth following. He is taking on a couple of handy performers at Yarra Valley on Monday but he should go well. NORTHOLT hasn’t raced since making an error in the Super Series Silver event in December but he looked sharp in his trial second. He settled four back on the inside and finished fast for a game second. MAJESTIC TOOTH came from last to run into a distant third.
Mile Rate: – 2.2.5 Last Half: – 61.21 Margins: – 4m, 11.5m
BLACKBOOKER: – Northolt
Trial 7: – GOTFEELINGSYOUKNOW is a gifted 3yo trotter, which won at his first four attempts before finishing third in the New South Wales Derby. He produced a tidy performance to win the trial after beginning slowly and settling last of the six runners before unleashing a devastating finishing burst. QUEEN OF QUEBEC settled four back on the inside and moved into the death seat at the 700m. She fought on strongly for second with the early leader CHAMPAGNE CHARLEY behind third across the line. BASILICA was held up for a run at a vital stage and didn’t have much luck in the straight to finish fourth.
Mile Rate: – 2.5.9 Last Half: – 58.11 Margins: – ½ head, 4m
BLACKBOOKER: – Gotfeelingsyouknow
Trial 9: – SANDAY settled four back on the markers, moved into the death seat at the 400m and sprinted quickly to get the prize. WOTDIDUSAAAY progressed forward to find the lead and battled on well for a close second in fast time. He is awkwardly drawn at Kilmore tomorrow night. AMERICAN LEGACY NZ trailed the leader and used the sprint lane to finish in third with RUESLAN (3 back markers) being fourth across the line.
Mile Rate: – 1.58.2 Last Half: – 56.50 Margins: – Neck, 6m
Trial 11: – The Miracle Mile winner CATCH A WAVE looks set for a brilliant campaign after an effortless trial victory. He dropped back to be last of the four runners, pulled hard and was seemingly jogging in a super last quarter of 26.83 seconds to win with ease. CAPTAIN BELLASARIO settled three back on the inside, moved into death seat at the 500m and worked home well for second. The early leader ITS EBONYNIVORY finished third and EVER HOPING (trailed leader) was last of the four runners across the line.
Mile Rate: – 1.58.3 Last Half: – 55.21 Margins: – 3.5m, Short ½ head
Trial 12: – ROCKNROLL GRONK trailed the leader, moved to the outside at the 300m and was able to hold off his rivals at the end to win by a narrow margin. CAPTAIN BOAK raced without cover early, restrained to be four back on the inside and moved to the outside at the 600m. He finished off solidly for a close second and HAVEYOUMETTED (4 back pegs) finished fast via the sprint lane to pick up third spot. CAPTAIN BOAK resumes from a break at Yarra Valley on Monday and is not without a chance.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.1 Last Half: – 58.35 Margins: – Head, 1.5m
