A trotting half-sister to multiple Group 1 winner Cruisin Around has impressed at the trials ahead of her debut at Shepparton on Tuesday.
Loves In The Air is prepared by Russell Thompson and caught the eye of Craig Rail in her hit-out last week.
She is out of the mare Cloud Chaser, who has had four previous foals make the races. The best of those has clearly been Cruisin Around, a winner of 19 races and almost $300,000 in prizemoney.
Loves In The Air was one of five entries into Rail’s Blackbook, which can be found at the bottom of this week’s trial report.
SHEPPARTON 26/05/22
Trial 1: – AMERICAN WEREWOLF settled down four back on the markers, came to the outside at the 800m and finished strongly for an impressive victory. He has improved with every trial and is worth following. He is awkwardly drawn but should go well on his debut at Yarra Valley on Monday. HOUSTON STREET finished second after setting the speed and THE IRON DUKE found the line nicely from fifth position to pick up third.
Mile Rate: – 1.59.3 Last Half: – 58.3 Margins: – 10m, 8m
Trial 2: – PATSBEACHSTORM continued his very good trial form when he trailed the leader BONCEL BENJAMIN and stormed through along the sprint lane to win easily. He is meeting a very smart horse in Rock N Roll Doo at his return to racing at Melton tomorrow night but he is going well enough to be competitive. ENCHANTED STRIDE settled down last of the six runners, moved into the death seat at the 700m and sustained a strong run for a game second. She returns from a break in the Mares Championship at Melton tomorrow night and should run a good race despite the awkward draw. BONCEL BENJAMIN was third and BRALLOS PASS (5 back pegs, 1-1 700m) had his last hit out before competing Mildura this evening with a fourth placed performance.
Mile Rate: – 1.59.1 Last Half: – 56.5 Margins: – 8m, 4m
Trial 3: – COUNTRY ROCKSTAR progressed forward to find the lead, pulled hard and was strong enough to hold on at the finish in a reasonable mile rate of 1.58.1. CHIRRIPO settled in fourth position and ran home well through the middle for second ahead of DEEWHY, which was three back on the inside and moved into the breeze at the 500m mark.
Mile Rate: – 1.58.1 Last Half: – 58.8 Margins: – 1m, 3m
Trial 5: – TEQUILA BREE settled four back on the inside, moved into death seat at the 800m mark and produced a strong performance to take out the trial. The eye-catching performance out of the trial came from the second placed LOVES IN THE AIR. She is yet to face the starter and was taking on proven winners so she did an excellent job to finish strongly for a close second from her position of being three back on the markers. She is out of the fast race mare Cloud Chaser, which has already produced three winners including Cruisin Around (1.56.1, $292,682). She has drawn barrier one against an experienced field at Shepparton on Tuesday, which might not be ideal, but she is definitely worth following. CMON CARL LEE finished third after attempting to lead throughout and will compete in the same race at Shepparton on Tuesday. BITTA IRISH LUCK (6 back markers, 1-2 at 500m) was fourth past the post and returns from a break at Yarra Valley on Monday.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.1 Last Half: – 60.4 Margins: – 1m, 1m
BLACKBOOKER: – Loves In The AIr
BACCHUS MARSH 28/05/22
Trial 1: – The former Western Australian pacer LAWRENCE has recently joined trainer Jess Tubbs and will make his Australian debut at Mildura this evening. He defeated the proven Metropolitan performers SEBS CHOICE and ITS BACK IN THE DAY in the fast class standing start trial but the John Nicholson prepared pacers were able to get their revenge at the Melton trials on Tuesday, where they finished first and second respectively whereas LAWRENCE was fourth past the post.
Mile Rate: – 2.8.6 Last Half: – 60.5 Margins: – 1.5m, 3m
Trial 5: – The former New South Wales pacer AUREUS made a winning debut for trainer Jess Tubbs at Maryborough and kept the momentum rolling leading up to the Sapling Stakes at Melton tomorrow night with a trial victory in fast time. She defeated CRIMES OF A LADY and WHOS WATCHING LILY by a comfortable margin.
Mile Rate: – 1.59.4 Last Half: – 58.0 Margins: – 8m, 12m
MILDURA 29/05/22
Trial 2: – BETTORZ BEACH settled down in sixth position, moved into the running lane at the 700m (1-2) before making a move out four horses wide from the quarter pole. He scored comfortably over TACTFILLY MAGIC (5th pegs, 1-1 700m, 3 wide 400m) and used the trial to build some confidence for his effort at Mildura this evening.
Mile Rate: – 2.2.8 Last Half: – 60.3 Margins: – 3m, 4m
Trial 3: – THIS IS BILL was able to lead all of the way and recorded handy time in his victory over ALL GOOD, which worked hard in the run. THIS IS BILL is drawn on the pole position at Mildura this evening and should prove very hard to beat.
Mile Rate: – 1.59.6 Last Half: – 59.5 Margins: – 9m, 7m
MARYBOROUGH 29/05/22
Trial 1: – BETTOR BE THE BOMB has been freshened since his latest performance at Melton in early April. He was clearly the class runner of the trial and won comfortably after leading out then taking cover. He has drawn poorly for his return to racing at Melton tomorrow night. PETREA BROMAC finished second after settling last of the three runners and angling onto the back of BETTOR BE THE BOMB with 300m remaining. KARMA QUEEN settled down last, circled around to find the lead at the 1700m and peaked late.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.0 Last Half: – Not given Margins: – 3m, 12m
Trial 3: – SHARKATTACK was able to dash home in a slick final half of 57.2 seconds to win the trial. He settled down in third position, came away from the markers at the 700m and produced a big sprint down the back straight, sustaining the run to win nicely. He is yet to be placed in five starts to date but it was a promising performance and he could go well at Yarra Valley on Monday albeit in a handy field. METRO MEMORY trailed the leader, moved around to find the lead at the bell before being headed by SHARK ATTACK at the 600m. To his credit, he kicked on bravely for second and he beat the remainder of the field by a large margin so he might be worth following.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.3 Last Half: – 57.2 Margins: – 3m, 40m
Trial 8: – CHILLIN was able to lead throughout and get the prize. He kicked well clear before the home turn and was just able to hang on at the finish. VIOLET ROCKS trailed the leader and was giving away a healthy start on the home turn but was motoring home late along the sprint lane. Considering CHILLIN made it into the Bathurst Gold Crown Final in March and VIOLET ROCKS was having her first official trial, the filly is obviously worth following.
Mile Rate: – 2.1.2 Last Half: – 58.7 Margins: – ½ head, 25m
BLACKBOOKER: – Violet Rocks
ECHUCA 29/05/22
Trial 1: – UPRIGHT took advantage of a hectic early tempo to take out the open class trial. A ROCKNROLL WALTZ and ACE DUIGAN engaged in a speed duel at the start with ACE DUIGAN eventually getting across to find the lead at the 1600m. UPRIGHT was given plenty of time to balance up at the start and powered home at the finish to win with something in reserve. He returns from a break at Shepparton on Tuesday night and is not without a chance.
Mile Rate: – 2.4.6 Last Half: – 61.5 Margins: – 5m, 40m
CRANBOURNE 29/05
Trial 2: – KNIGHTS TEMPLAR is a very smart pacer and hasn’t started since a win in the Super Series Silver event at Bendigo in December. He intentionally missed the start by approximately 20m, settled three back on the markers and sprinted quickly from the 600m to win untouched by a large margin. He looked very impressive and might be in for a prosperous campaign. POST GAME finished second after attempting to lead all of the way and IN CHARGE finished last of the three runners.
Mile Rate: – 2.2.4 Last Half: – 56.9 Margins: – 15.5m, 57m
BLACKBOOKER: – Knights Templar
TABCORP PARK, MELTON 31/05/22
Trial 3: – SPICEY MAJOR gained a one out and one back trail early, continued to progress forward to find the lead at the bell and dashed away over the concluding stages to win by a large margin. HOLD ON TO ME led out then took a trail at the bell and finished second with SNOW HUNTER producing a big run after coming out wide from a clear last to pick up third spot. SNOW HUNTER is poorly drawn in the Sapling Stakes at Melton tomorrow night but has ability.
Mile Rate: – 2.1.4 Last Half: – 58.42 Margins: – 13m, Short ½ head
Trial 5: – FEMALE ASSASSIN began very quickly out wide on the track and continued to push forward to find the front at the 1200m. She remained strong at the finish and scored by a comfortable margin. LADY MIKI settled last out the six runners and motored home out wide on the track for a game second. She is out of the fast mare Lagoon Lady and might be worth following. Both horses will clash again in the fourth event at Yarra Valley on Monday. NIKI NAH NAH finished in third position after leading initially before being shuffled to four back on the markers.
Mile Rate: – Not Given Last Half: – Not Given Margins: – 16m, 4m
BLACKBOOKER: – Lady Miki
Trial 6: – DON’T HOLD BACK won the open class trial by leading throughout. He dashed home in a slick last quarter of 27.6 seconds against a strong head wind and held off the challenge of SUPREME DOMINATOR, which came from last of the three runners, and IM OFF N GONE was last of the trio to complete the course.
Mile Rate: – 1.58.1 Last Half: – 55.92 Margins: – Head, 4m
Trial 7: – PEAKZ LUCK hasn’t raced since February but was able to lead throughout to impressively defeat a strong field. QUEEN ELIDA settled sixth on the markers, moved up without cover at the 800m, quickly gained a one out and one back trail and was finishing off nicely for second. WHOS THE MAN was third after trailing the leader and using the sprint lane.
Mile Rate: – 2.1.0 Last Half: – 58.35 Margins: – 2.5m, Head
Trial 10: – CAPTAIN BELLASARIO hasn’t raced since competing in the Super Series Final in December but he sprinted very sharply to post a win in the final trial. He is a very talented pacer and should have a prosperous campaign. YAMBUKIAN attempted to lead throughout and finished second with HELLUVA being in third after settling four back on the markers behind CAPTAIN BELLASARIO and remaining on his back when that pacer made his move at the 600m mark. HELLUVA should run a good race from the pole position in the opening event at Melton tomorrow night.
Mile Rate: – 1.58.0 Last Half: – 55.26 Margins: – 3.5m, ½ head
BLACKBOOKER: – Captain Bellasario
