Harness Racing Victoria form guru Craig Rail noticed some standout runners at recent trials.
At Bendigo, unraced Art Major filly Leah Jolie sprinted home strongly and looks one to follow.
At Melton, Queen Elida’s younger sister Queen Kizen showed plenty of promise, while William stormed home to win his trial in good style.
SHEPPARTON 04/09/25
Trial 1: – THE GOLDEN HOOK is unraced colt by Lennytheshark for trainer Russell Jack. He settled three back on the markers, came to the outside on the home turn and finished off swiftly to win in fast time. He makes his debut at Shepparton on Tuesday night. SHEMEANSBUSINESS finished in second position after setting the speed. LA SMOOCH trailed the leader, came to the outside at the 500m and battled on fairly well for third with LETS FLY WITH ME being last of the quartet throughout. LETS FLY WITH ME backed up with an unplaced performance behind Harmony Halo at Bendigo on Wednesday night.
Mile Rate: – 1.58.4 Last Half: – 56.5 Margins: – Neck, 5m
Trial 2: – WHERE IT BEGAN started quickly to find the lead, took cover at the 1300m, ended up being three back on the markers at the 1200m, moved up without cover at the 600m and sprinted quickly in the back straight. He sustained the run in a slick final half of 57.2 seconds to win nicely. He is making his debut at Shepparton on Tuesday night. THUNDERFIRE was four back on the markers, circled around the field to find the lead at the 1100m and was run down at the end. FLOPPA made up some ground from last to pick up third position.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.1 Last Half: – 57.2 Margins: – 8m, 4m
Trial 5: – OUR CHEEKY DEVIL led out then took cover at the 1600m. He made his move with 600m remaining and hit the lead turning for home before holding on in the run to the finish. He backed up with a fifth placed effort at Echuca on Tuesday night. He is also scheduled to compete at Shepparton on Tuesday night. MONAGHAN BOY settled six back on the markers, came away from the inside at the 700m and was planted out four horses wide from the 300m. He finished off strongly and missed out by a narrow margin. SASSY GABBY settled four back on the markers and used the sprint lane. She worked home nicely for third position. She is resuming at Shepparton on Tuesday night. THE MAHARANI led out then took cover at the 1600m. He finished fourth and the classy trotter DEREK THE JET came from last to pick up fifth position.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.2 Last Half: – 58.7 Margins: – Head, Neck
KYABRAM 07/09/25
Trials 1 + 2 were both won by trainer Noel Tyndall. LITTLE RAIN CLOUD was able to score in the opening trial by a narrow margin in a mile rate of 2.6.5 with UPRIGHT being in second and ICE QUEEN was twenty metres away in third position. CROCODILE BLOOD was a runaway winner of the second trial. He recorded a mile rate of 2.6.2 and defeated BLU MOON with the trotter BACARDI WOOD being the third horse across the line. LITTLE RAIN CLOUD finished seventh and CROCODILE BLOOD was ninth in the race won by Cozmo at Bendigo on Wednesday night. BACARDI WOOD is competing at Shepparton on Tuesday night.
Mile Rate: 2.6.2 Last Half: – 62.6 Margins: – 20m, 1m
MARYBOROUGH 08/09/25
Trial 1: – ROCKNROLL WILLOW remains undefeated after winning on debut at Ararat. He was able to keep the momentum rolling by winning the opening trial in reasonable time, dashing home in a slick final quarter of 28.5 seconds. He is racing at Stawell on Monday afternoon. DOCTOR GO JOH finished a close up second with MISSMALACHITE being the third horse across the line. MISSMALACHITE is resuming from a spell at Geelong this evening. HELLOVASTORY was the fourth horse to greet the judge.
Mile Rate: – 2.1.3 Last Half: – 58.0 Margins: – Head, 3m
Trial 3: – RIPPING RITA hasn’t raced since an unplaced effort in December but she finished off in a reasonable final quarter of 29.2 seconds to win her trial. OUT TO STAY is an unraced colt by Art Major out of the classy race mare Stay And Play (1.55.5, $89,201). He showed ability by finishing a close up second. SOHO AMARYLLIS is an unraced filly by Soho Tribeca and was the third horse across the line.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.5 Last Half: – 58.8 Margins: – 1m, 4m
Trial 5: – PICK UP ELVIS hasn’t raced since June but he won at his last four starts and recorded a slick mile rate of 1.54.5 at his latest race track performance. He was able to beat his stable mate LITTLE LOUIE in a field of two horses and was able to slip home in a handy final half in the process.
Mile Rate: – 2.4.0 Last Half: – 57.1 Margin: – Short ½ head
BENDIGO 08/09/25
Trial 2: – LEIAH JOLIE is an unraced filly by Art Major for trainer David Miles and recorded a very good victory. She began quickly to get in behind the leader, came to the outside on the home turn and finished off best to win nicely. KEAYANG SANTIAGO appeared to be the winner but broke stride in the home straight and lost his chance at Wagga. He was stood down to trial and went well in his requalifying performance after he attempted to lead throughout and finished second. He is backing up at Wagga this afternoon. LIFE ONA HIGHWAY was the third horse across the line after settling three back on the markers.
Mile Rate: – 2.1.8 Last Half: – 60.2 Margins: – 2m, 9m
BLACKBOOKER: – Leiah Jolie
Trial 4: – JET TO HEAVEN settled five back on the markers, moved to the outside with 800m remaining and sustained a good run to win the prize. RANDOM MAHONEY settled last of the six runners, moved into the one out and one back trail behind JET TO HEAVEN and loomed as a chance but wanted to race roughly over the concluding stages. DIVINE STAR began quickly to lead early but was shuffled to four back on the markers mid-race. She was able to work through into a distant third at the end.
Mile Rate: – 2.2.1 Last Half: – 58.6 Margins: – 2m, 10m
Trial 5: – EDWARDE GRANGE began quickly to find the lead, ran along at a reasonable tempo and dashed well clear at the end to win easily. LIKEABLE ROGUE settled last of the quartet, wanted to race keenly in the last lap and worked into a distant second. WISH UPONA DREAM settled three back on the markers, moved up without cover at the 500m and finished in third. She has come up with the pole position against a strong field at Melton tomorrow night. MONTANA CHEVELLE was the last one home after trailing the leader throughout and is backing up at Geelong this evening.
Mile Rate: – 2.2.8 Last Half: – 59.2 Margins: – 12m, 1m
TERANG 09/09/25
Trial 1: – The outstanding trotting filly KEAYANG ZAHARA sprinted home in an exceptionally quick last quarter of 27.4 seconds to win the opening trial. She trailed behind the open class pacer CODE BAILEY NZ and was too quick up the home straight. CODE BAILEY NZ may have been run down at the end but his sectional times were still sharp.
Mile Rate: – 2.2.7 Last Half: – 56.1 Margin: – 1m
Trial 3: – KEAYANG MEMORY trailed the leader, came to the outside on the home turn and was able to sprint home best to get the prize. AURORA PEARLS began quickly and attempted to lead all of the way. She set up a slow speed and was run down on the line. The trotters GLORY CONNECT (3 back on the markers) and ARMADIA, which galloped at the start, finished third and fourth respectively.
Mile Rate: – 2.10.1 Last Half: – 60.9 Margins: – 1m, 25m
MELTON ENTERTAINMENT PARK 09/09/25
Trial 1: – PARISIAN ARTISTE was returning from his fifth in the Inter Dominion Grand Final and looked very sharp in his trial success. He stepped away in second from the standing start, pushed forward to find the lead at the 1300m and dashed home in a sizzling final half of 56.3 seconds to win clearly. HEPHAESTUS PHOENIX led out then took cover and held his own in the straight for second. ARCEE PHOENIX settled three back on the markers, came to the outside at the 150m and finished off nicely. REMUS PHOENIX was last of the four runners throughout.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.2 Last Half: – 56.3 Margins: – 6.5m, Neck
Trial 2: – THE PREACHER trailed the leader early and ended up being three back on the markers. He came to the outside at the 700m and sustained a good run to win untouched. LADY MANCHE raced without cover early, angled in behind the leader and moved off the pegs on the home turn. She finished off nicely and seemed to have something in reserve. ZINGARA LASS finished in third position after attempting to lead throughout and is resuming from a spell at Geelong this evening.
Mile Rate: – 2.4.6 Last Half: – 59.2 Margins: – 1.6m, 15.5m
Trial 5: – PINNIE showed brilliant gate speed to lead and finished off in slick final sectionals to win easily. QUEEN KIZEN NZ is a half sister to the great mare Queen Elida NZ and shaped up nicely considering the winner PINNIE is proven at Metropolitan level and she is lightly raced in New Zealand having won two of her ten starts. WATTS UP THE HILL finished a distant third after being three back on the markers and MISTER BLINDSIDE was last throughout after racing roughly at the start.
Mile Rate: – 2.2.7 Last Half: – 57.6 Margins: – 15m, 27m
BLACKBOOKER: – Queen Kizen NZ
Trial 6: – RAGING WHITEBAIT NZ settled three back on the markers, came to the outside at the quarter pole and sprinted very quickly over the final stages to win easily. ROCKNROLL WALLA began quickly to lead, raced keenly and dashed well clear turning out of the back straight. He was run down at the end but the time was fast so his effort was still sound. TELEMACHUS (3 back markers) and EUREKA JO (4 back markers) finished third and fourth respectively.
Mile Rate: – 1.58.9 Last Half: – 56.2 Margins: – 6m, 29m
Trial 7: – WILLIAMS led out then took cover and ended up being three back on the markers from the 1700m. He moved into the running lane (1-2) at the 400m mark and angled out four horses wide on the home turn. He sprinted home quickly and got home best to secure victory. He is competing at Stawell on Monday and should prove hard to beat. IMA TERMINATOR began quickly to find the lead, took cover at the 1700m and was held up for a run at a vital stage before sprinting home fast for second. MAGIC MIKE NZ settled six back on the markers, moved into the one out and one back trail at the bell and came out three horses wide on the home turn. He battled on fairly well for third and is backing up at Melton tomorrow night. FIRE MARSHALL settled fifth on the markers, moved up without cover at the bell and battled on well in the latter stages to finish in fourth.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.5 Last Half: – 56.6 Margins: – 1.5m, Lg Neck
BLACKBOOKER: – Williams
