Harness Racing Victoria form guru Craig Rail noticed some standout runners at recent trials.
At Bacchus Marsh, Luvtobeuptome dashed clear to win impressively.
At Cranbourne, River Storm moved into the clear at the 700m and sustained a strong run to win easily.
At Melton, Sweet Irish Loch came from well back and kept finding in the straight for a brave victory.
COBRAM 25/09/25
Trial 1: – BENNIE AND THE JETS did a good job to defeat the pacers. He was checked at the start, settled five back on the markers and moved up without cover at the 700m, sustaining a long run to get up on the line. He is competing at Shepparton on Tuesday night. ROLLON ART settled four back on the markers, moved into the death seat at the 1300m and found the front at the 900m. He was run down right on the line. SKINNY HORACE led out, took cover at the 1600m and ended up being three back on the markers from the 900m. He dropped out to finish a distant third and will be competing at Shepparton on Tuesday night. LITTLE RAINCLOUD raced greenly at the start, pushed forward to find the lead at the 1600m then took cover shortly after the bell. He finished fourth across the line.
Mile Rate: – Unavailable Last Half: – Unavailable Margins: – Head, 25m (approximately)
Trial 2: – DELIZIOSO began very quickly to lead and dominated his rivals from that point on. He scored by a comfortable margin over DIAMOND EYES, which trailed the leader and came to the outside on the home turn. UPRIGHT settled three back on the markers and finished a distant third.
Mile Rate: – Unavailable Last Half: – Unavailable Margins: – 8m, 15m
BACCHUS MARSH 27/09/25
Trial 1: – WHOSHOTTHEPIEMAN was stood down to trial after breaking stride several times at his debut. He was able to win his trial by a comfortable margin over NATHANS DREAMER, which is an unraced filly by Skyvalley. AMESKY finished five metres away in third position and is backing up at Cranbourne on Sunday. LEO GALLEON was last of the quartet across the line.
Mile Rate: – 2.8.6 Last Half: – 63.8 Margins: – 8m, 5m
Trial 3: – HITTHEROADJACK NZ has been racing at Metropolitan level and was clearly the class runner of the trial. He recorded reasonable time to win his trial by a narrow margin and is backing up at Melton on Saturday. CARUSO STAR hasn’t raced since a ninth at Cranbourne back in May. He missed out by a narrow margin and the last half was run in a slick 28.5 seconds so his effort was sound. He is resuming at Cranbourne on Sunday. IMAGINATION ORO battled on well for third and the trotter JAKARTA NZ was last of the four runners across the line.
Mile Rate: – 2.2.3 Last Half: – 58.4 Margins: – Head, 6m
Trial 5: – GOODTIME CAPTAIN finished third at his latest race track performance at Geelong. He was able to dominate his rivals to win the fifth trial on the program. GOOD HEAVENS is an unraced mare by Rock N Roll Heaven and finished in second ahead of DELTA STARZ. DELTA STARZ resumed at Ballarat on Thursday night and is backing up again at Cranbourne on Sunday.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.7 Last Half: – 58.5 Margins: – 10m, 2m
Trial 8: – LUVTOBEUPTOME has been runner up at his three starts to date with his latest being at Geelong in July, where he led, hung out badly and came again in the straight. He has ability and dashed well clear to win the trial by a large margin. SWEET AND GORGEOUS finished in second and finished well ahead of RIDE HIGH CAPTIN.
Mile Rate: – 2.2.3 Last Half: – 57.8 Margins: – 20m, 8m
BLACKBOOKER: – Luvtobeuptome
ECHUCA 28/09/25
Trial 1: – SHINELIKETHESUN began quickly to find the lead shortly after the start. She hung out badly and raced very greenly at the 1500m mark but she was able to maintain the lead and was able to hold her concentration for the remainder of the trial to get the job done. ALWAYS SKYE HIGH trailed the leader and came to the outside with 500m remaining. She tried hard to finish in second with ALDEBARAN DENBAY finishing in third after breaking stride at the start and settling three back on the markers. ALDEBARAN DENBAY is scheduled to compete at Horsham on Monday.
Mile Rate: – 2.7.5 Last Half: – 61.5 Margins: – 3m, 3m
Trial 2: – SANTA CASA BEACH began quickly to find the lead and ran along at a genuine tempo. He dashed well clear of his rivals to win by a large margin and is competing at Horsham on Monday. BIG BAD CHAD angled in behind the leader and enjoyed the perfect trip. He finished in second and was well ahead of the third placed MYLA GIRL, which settled last of the four runners and ended up being in third after HES LETHAL broke stride with 1600m remaining. BIG BAD CHAD is racing at Mildura on Tuesday night.
Mile Rate: – 2.1.0 Last Half: – 59.0 Margins: – 30m, 40m
Trial 3: – TELLA SHES DREAMIN began quickly to lead then took cover at the 1200m mark. She regained the lead when ON A NIGHT broke stride at the 700m and was able to hold her rivals safely at bay. SASSY GABBY settled last of the five runners and angled out three horses wide on the home turn. She finished off nicely to fill second position and is competing at Shepparton on Tuesday. AMERICAN GUY settled four back on the markers and came to the outside with 600m remaining. He finished in third ahead of TEMPTING TIGER (3 back markers) with ON A NIGHT being the fourth horse across the line after his misdemeanor in the final lap. ON A NIGHT is racing at Shepparton on Tuesday night.
Mile Rate: – 2.6.5 Last Half: – 61.1 Margins: – 2m, 2m
CRANBOURNE 28/09/25
Trial 1: – KLYMENE scrambled away from the standing start but was still able to lead. MEVIA sat in the trail throughout and came to the outside on the home turn. There was a neck separating the two stable mates across the line and it was just like trackwork in slow time.
Mile Rate: – 2.22.7 Last Half: – 63.3 Margin: – Neck
Trial 2: – THAT’S MY CARDIGAN led throughout in the second event after his only rival WALKING ON WATER broke stride at the start and lost considerable ground.
Mile Rate: – 2.1.1 Last Half: – 59.0 Margin: – 204m
Trial 3: – RIVER STORM settled four back on the markers, came to the outside at the 700m mark and sustained a strong run to win the trial easily. ELEEGANT LANE finished in second after attempting to lead throughout. HARLEY LANE settled three back on the markers, waited for the sprint lane and finished fast for third. She is competing at Cranbourne on Sunday. He is backing JILLIBY DINGO was fourth across the line after trailing the leader throughout.
Mile Rate: – 1.57.8 Last Half: – 57.6 Margins: – 4.5m, Head
BLACKBOOKER: – River Storm
MELTON ENTERTAINMENT PARK 30/09/25
Trial 1: – ALDEBARAN JAZMINE began quickly to find the lead, backed off the tempo mid-race and was able to win softly. ALDEBARAN ADA settled three back on the markers and finished off quickly for a game second. CARTACALHA trailed the leader throughout and finished in third.
Mile Rate: – 2.7.5 Last Half: – 61.2 Margins: – 2.25m, 3m
Trial 2: – PETRACCA trailed behind the leader MACH DAN, came to the outside on the home turn and finished off best in the sprint up the home straight. The mile rate was a very fast 1.52.1 and the final half was recorded in 54.9 seconds so both horses performed extremely well. BEYOND DELIGHT was last of the trio for the duration.
Mile Rate: – 1.52.1 Last Half: – 54.9 Margins: – ½ head, 7.75m
Trial 3: – MEGA SPUR trailed the leader and came to the outside on the home turn. She finished off quickly and was able to win nicely. GEE CEE CALDER began quickly to find the front and attempted to lead throughout. He was run down at the end but battled on well in the run to the finish. RUBYS DREAM settled last of the seven runners, came to the outside with 300m remaining and finished off fast for an eye-catching third. JACK SPRAT settled three back on the markers and held his own over the latter stages to finish in fourth. He is backing up at Cranbourne on Sunday.
Mile Rate: – 1.58.2 Last Half: – 58.3 Margins: – 2.25m, 6.25m
Trial 4: – SWEET IRISH LOCH settled five back on the markers, moved to the outside with a half mile remaining and sustained a strong run when a brave winner over NOT VICIOUS, which attempted to lead throughout. BETTOR PUNTER NZ was held up for a run at a vital stage and ran home strongly for an unlucky third. BELIEVEITOR NOT began quickly to find the lead momentarily before taking cover behind NOT VICIOUS. He battled on okay for a close up fourth.
Mile Rate: – 1.59.9 Last Half: – 57.2 Margins: – Head, 1.25m
BLACKBOOKER: – Sweet Irish Loch
Trial 5: – VINEY settled four back on the markers, came to the outside with 900m remaining and progressed forward in a slick final half of 55.1 seconds to win impressively. BIG BOY MAL began quickly to find the lead and set up a genuine tempo. He battled on well for second. TWISTING BY NZ settled six back on the markers, moved into the running lane (1-2) in the final lap and worked home well for third. HITTHEROADJACK NZ, which was backing up at Bacchus Marsh on Saturday, settled five back on the inside and attempted to follow VINEY forward in the last circuit. He was fourth across the line with OLLIES THE BOSS (3 back markers) being the fifth horse home after being held up for a run at a vital stage. OLLIES THE BOSS is backing up at Melton this evening.
Mile Rate: – 1.56.0 Last Half: – 55.1 Margins: – 3m, 4m
Trial 6: – OLLIVICI NZ showed very good gate speed to lead and backed off the tempo mid-race. He was able to hold off the challenge of WATTS UP PARTYTIME, which trailed the leader, came to the outside in the home straight and missed out by a narrow margin. HEPHAESTUS PHOENIX was last of the three runners for the duration and is competing in the Australian Trotting Championship tomorrow night.
Mile Rate: – 1.58.9 Last Half: – 57.9 Margins: – Head, 15m
Trial 7: – MY BETTOR HALF settled three back on the markers, moved into the death seat at the 600m and finished off best to win over CAPTAIN MOLLY, which was without cover early before working to the front. CAPTAIN MOLLY is racing at Shepparton on Tuesday night. OHSO HANDSOME trailed the leader for the majority of the journey and finished a distant third. GIDGETT KAY settled six back on the markers and worked into a distant fourth.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.4 Last Half: – 56.5 Margins: – Neck, 25m
Trial 8: – COCONUT MICKEY trailed the leader APACHEVALLEY, came to the outside at the 600m and hit the lead at the quarter pole. He was able to cling on and get the prize by a narrow margin. BAR TAB broke stride at the start, settled five back on the markers and moved into the running lane (1-2) in the back straight. He finished off powerfully to finish in second and it was a good hit-out for his effort at Cranbourne on Sunday. HILLTOP HUGH settled six back on the markers, moved into the death seat at the 800m and battled on well for third.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.2 Last Half: – 60.6 Margins: – Head, 1.5m
Trial 9: – WICKED WIZARD trailed the leader, came to the outside with 400m remaining and finished off best to win the prize. YNOBE NOVA settled last of the five runners, came to the outside with 300m remaining and finished off strongly for second. ROCKNLENA settled three back on the inside, used the sprint lane and worked through for third position.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.4 Last Half: – 57.9 Margins: – 1.75m, 2m
