Craig Rail has noticed Wicked Mitzi after his brilliant trial recently at Maryborough.
Star juvenile Always Hot also caught the eye of rail after a star-studded trial at Melton.
Rail also added Catch A Wave to his file this week.
TRIAL REPORT 299
BACCHUS MARSH 11/01/25
Trial 2: – CLASSY OPERATOR NZ has been unplaced in all three Victorian starts to date since coming from New South Wales and Queensland but he has been racing fiercely and he recorded handy time in his trial success. He was able to defeat KHANS CREED, which was runner up at his last two trials prior to resuming at Melton on Thursday night, where third behind The Last Trip. EASY ROLLING hasn’t raced for nearly a year and finished in third with BLISSFULL STRIDE being last of the four runners across the line. The winner CLASSY OPERATOR NZ is meeting a strong field at Ballarat on Saturday night.
Mile Rate: – 2.1.5 Last Half: – 57.3 Margins: – 12m, 5m
Trial 4: – ROCKY VALLEY hasn’t raced since October but has been performing okay at the trials with a third at Melton followed by his success at Bacchus Marsh. He defeated APRIL SUN, which galloped away at his two race track appearances prior to the trial. He backed up to finish third at Melton on Thursday. EQUAL AND OPPOSITE has also had her issues at the start recently and she was the third horse across the line ahead of the unraced gelding WATCH THE BAY. EQUAL AND OPPOSITE will be competing at Maryborough this afternoon.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.7 Last Half: – 60.3 Margins: – 8m, 12m
MARYBOROUGH 12/01/25
Trial 2: – LOVE WHO began well from the pole position and was able to hold the lead. He pulled hard in the middle stages but was able to fend off the late challenge of IZARRA to get the prize. Considering he has a very low National Rating of 30, it was a good performance. IZARRA settled three back on the inside and moved off the pegs at the 700m mark. She tried hard over the latter stages and missed out by a narrow margin. SHADOW JUSTICE settled last on the markers and was able to work into a distant third. He is backing up at Maryborough this afternoon.
Mile Rate: – 2.5.6 Last Half: – 58.8 Margins: – Head, 12m
Trial 3: – WICKED MITZI began quickly to find the lead and ran along at a genuine tempo. He remained strong at the finish and was able to win impressively. ARE WEASLEY trailed behind WICKED MITZI throughout and came to the outside on the home turn. He held his own in handy final sectionals and finished two metres from the winner. He backed up at Melton on Thursday night and finished fourth behind Carry On Cornish. WATCH AND WAIT finished last of the trio after galloping away and being detached throughout.
Mile Rate: – 2.2.1 Last Half: – 57.6 Margins: – 2m, 25m
BLACKBOOKER: – Wicked Mitzi
MELTON ENTERTAINMENT PARK 13/01/25
Trial 1: – CIGANO settled in the one out and one back trail early, switched to be three back on the inside at the 1700m and moved up without cover at the 700m mark. He remained strong at the finish and held off the late challenge of SILVER PISTOL, which finished fast from last of the seven runners. STORMS COLLIDE finished in third after settling seventh on the markers, moving up without cover at the bell and finding the one out and one back trail behind CIGANO in the back straight. HIGHLANDHARTBREAKA finished fourth after trailing the leader early, getting shuffled back on the markers at the 1700m and running into a dead-end late.
Mile Rate: – 2.2.2 Last Half: – 57.7 Margins: – 57.7
Trial 2: – The Super Series champion ALWAYS HOT began quickly to find the lead, set up a slow tempo then finished off in a dazzling final quarter of 25.9 seconds to win very easily. The Protostar runner up THE HIGHLIGHT REEL sat in the trail throughout and didn’t make ground but didn’t lose ground in that fantastic final quarter. GO MIKI and FOX DAN were third and fourth respectively after settling in the same positions early in the event.
Mile Rate: – 2.1.1 Last Half: – 55.9 Margins: – 5m, 5.5m
BLACKBOOKER: – Always Hot
Trial 4: – CATCH A WAVE won three Group 1 races last season and continued his impressive trial form leading up to the Hunter Cup. He settled last of the six runners, was the widest runner turning for home and sprinted brilliantly in a last quarter of 25.8 seconds to get the prize. The Breeders Crown runner up BAY OF BISCAY settled four back on the markers, moved up without cover at the 500m and battled on well for second. KINGMAN finished third after trailing the leader throughout. THE LOST STORM was five back on the markers, became held up for a run at a vital stage and worked into fourth. MIKI TO SUCCESS settled three back on the inside and finished fifth. TACT MCLEOD NZ began safely after his misdemeanor in the Shepparton Cup on Saturday night and was able to find the lead. He was overtaken with 600m remaining and was the last runner across the line. He was never asked for a full effort and the plan of getting away well from the mobile worked out nicely but his overall effort was inconclusive.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.5 Last Half: – 56.0 Margins: – 1.5m, 1.25m
BLACKBOOKER: – Catch A Wave
Trial 5: – SMOKEN ACE NZ trailed the leader and used the sprint lane. He accelerated nicely over the later stages and did extremely well in a sizzling final quarter of 26.6 seconds to get the prize. ROCKNROLL HAMMER NZ finished in second after trying to lead throughout. The Breeders Crown champion SOME AMERICAN settled three back on the markers, moved up without cover at the 600m and finished a close up third. WAR DAN BUDDY finished a distant fourth after coming from last of the six runners.
Mile Rate: – 1.56.9 Last Half: – 54.9 Margins: – Head, 1.75m
Trial 7: – APOLLOSTORM produced a very good performance to take out the last event. He settled four back on the inside and moved up without cover at the 800m before dashing to the front at the 500m mark. He went to the line untouched to win easily. TECHY CREED settled last of the six runners, moved to the outside at the 700m and worked home well to finish in second. CRAYONS TO PERFUME worked forward to find the front, raced greenly at the 600m but was able to regather momentum and finished in third.
Mile Rate: – 2.1.5 Last Half: – 57.1 Margins: – 7m, 1.25m
BENDIGO 13/01/25
Trial 1: – DONA AMALIA stepped away nicely from the standing start and found the front. She was the only horse that was able to trot throughout in the trial so naturally she got the job done. She is backing up in a standing start event at Swan Hill on Sunday night. BROTHER JOSEPH trailed the leader, broke stride at the 300m but was able to get back into second when SWEET MAORI MISS (3 back markers) broke stride with 150m remaining. ANGOVE finished last of the four runners after breaking stride with a mile remaining.
Mile Rate: – 2.7.2 Last Half: – 59.8 Margins: – 45m, 2m
Trial 2: – ORSINO BELLE began well and progressed forward to find the lead. He ran along at an even tempo and was able to hold on to get the prize. LUV OSMAN led out then took cover and came to the outside on the home turn. He chased hard and was beaten by a narrow margin. The leading duo finished well clear of the third placed SUZIE CRACKER (3 back markers).
Mile Rate: – 2.1.7 Last Half: – 59.8 Margins: – Head, 18m
Trial 4: – TOORAM DANNY settled five back on the markers, made a move at the 1300m and worked to the front at the 900m mark. He then dashed away over the concluding stages and was able to score easily. He is backing up at Swan Hill on Sunday night. I KNEW NOT WHERE trailed the leader early, circled around to find the lead at the 1600m, then took cover behind TOORAM DANNY. He battled on fairly well for a distant second ahead of FORESIGHT, which settled last of the six runners, followed up behind TOORAM DANNY and was left stranded without cover from the 900m mark. I KNEW NOT WHERE will be competing at Shepparton on Tuesday night.
Mile Rate: – 1.59.6 Last Half: – 57.9 Margins: – 12m, 4m
.png)
