Harness Racing Victoria form judge Craig Rail has spotted two standout performances from the trials during the past week and added them to his black book.
They include Naomi Kerr-trained Hooklineandsinker and Michael Azzopardi’s Rambo Suffarell.
TRIAL REPORT
COBRAM 27/11/25
Trial 1: – LOIERO is an unraced gelding by Stay Hungry out of Kateleens Passport, which was a good mare that won ten of her twenty-two starts. He was able to win the trial by a narrow margin over LITTLE RAIN CLOUD with the trotter WIND CHASER being the third horse across the line. PEE BEES DELIGHT was last of the four runners to greet the judge. WIND CHASER back up in a heat of the Breeders Crown at Bendigo on Wednesday night and ran a fine race for second. PEE BEES DELIGHT is scheduled to compete at Shepparton on Tuesday.
Mile Rate: – 2.4.2 Last Half: – 60.0 Margins: – Head, 3m
Trial 2: – INSIDE LEG has joined trainer Rebecca Bartley since his latest unplaced effort at Shepparton in August. He finished off in a handy final half of 58.4 seconds to win the trial by a comfortable margin and will make his debut for the new stable at Shepparton on Tuesday night. HES LETHAL hasn’t raced since March and was the second horse across the line. He is also backing up at Shepparton on Tuesday. BERYLS GRIN finished in third with MISS HERMES being the fourth horse across the line.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.0 Last Half: – 58.4 Margins: – 6m, Neck
BACCHUS MARSH 29/11/25
Trial 1: – IMAGINATION ORO led throughout at a Cranbourne victory two starts ago then attempted to lead throughout when third at Horsham. He bounced back to winning form with an emphatic trial victory in fast time, defeating ADMIRALOFTHEFLEET. The speedy pacer EL BOSTON hasn’t raced since March and finished in third ahead of ROYLANCE, which is backing up in a heat of the Bacchus Marsh Cup at Melton this evening.
Mile Rate: – 1.59.4 Last Half: – 60.0 Margins: – 12m, 5m
Trial 3: – HART OF CYPRUS hasn’t raced since contesting last year’s Breeders Crown series. She recorded handy time and won the trial by a large margin so she has come back to racing in good form. THE BLAZINBOOTS hasn’t raced since a fourth at Maryborough in early September but is returning this evening in a strong heat of the Breeders Crown. He finished in second with STAY CLEAN, a nicely bred mare by Sweet Lou out of Trebla Trebla, being the third horse across the line.
Mile Rate: – 2.2.8 Last Half: – 59.9 Margins: – 10m, 8m
Trial 5: – SHIRALEE is a former New South Wales pacer, which broke stride on her local debut. She was able to win her trial over SASSCILIAN with GENERAL LINCOLN finishing a large distant away in third position. The leading trio finished well clear of the remainder of the field headed by IDEAL CRAZY. SHIRALEE competed at Ballarat on Thursday night but faded after racing fiercely and SASSCILIAN is competing at Charlton on Monday.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.5 Last Half: – 61.0 Margins: – 3m, 10m
ECHUCA 30/11/25
Trial 1: – COUNTRY ROCKSTAR trailed the leader and moved to the outside at the 300m mark. She sprinted sharply over the concluding stages and was able to win by a large margin. MAHINDI NZ finished in second after being without cover early and angling onto the markers to be three back. He came to the outside on the home turn and worked into a distant second. LITTLE RAIN CLOUD, which was backing up from a Cobram trial effort several days earlier, attempted to lead throughout and finished a distant third.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.0 Last Half: – 61.1 Margins: – 10m, 3m
Trial 3: – SAINT EYES hasn’t raced since galloping and losing his chance back in March. He settled four back on the markers, was three back on the inside at the 1600m and moved to the death seat at the quarter pole. He was able to sustain a long run to get the prize. WISH UPONA DREAM began quickly and attempted to lead throughout. She was headed with 150m remaining but kicked back strongly in the home straight. She is competing in the Horsham Trotters Cup on Sunday afternoon. The juvenile trotter MORNING DOVE trailed the leader throughout and finished in third position.
Mile Rate: – 2.9.1 Last Half: – 63.4 Margins: – Head, 4m
MILDURA 01/12/25
Trial 1: – WIPEOUT began quickly to race without cover, pressured the leader and worked to the front at the 1300m. He ran along at a genuine tempo and remained strong at the finish, winning nicely. KEAYANG MOROCCAN settled five back on the markers, moved up without cover at the 1300m, switched to be three back on the markers at the 1100m and made a move at the 300m. He finished off well for second. OUR ART WORK began quickly to lead, was pressured by WIPEOUT early then took cover. He battled on fairly well in the straight to end up being in third position.
Mile Rate: – Unavailable Last Half: – 59.8 Margins: – 6m, head
Trial 2: – HOOKLINEANDSINKER began brilliantly from a wide alley to find the lead shortly after the start. He ran along at a rapid rate and recorded a brilliant victory in a slick mile rate of 1.57.5. POSTER ART settled four back on the markers, moved into the death seat at the 1500m and was behind the leader at the bell albeit a long way in arrears of the winner. He finished in second position with MINI VINNEY being in third after trailing the leader early and ending up being three back on the markers at the bell.
Mile Rate: – 1.57.5 Last Half: – 60.5 Margins: – 55m, 2m
BLACKBOOKER: – Hooklineandsinker
Trial 4: – DALLAS MIKI began quickly and was without cover early. He pressured the leader before finding the front at the 1300m then continued to run along at a genuine tempo. He was able to score comfortably from MASON DIXON LINE, which led out then took the cover. He tried hard and beat the remainder of the field by a large margin. SHES MAGICAL settled down three back on the markers, broke stride at the 1300m and ended up being a distant fourth. She was able to recover to get past THE INTERCEPTOR and finish in third position.
Mile Rate: – 1.58.8 Last Half: – 60.7 Margins: – 6m, 30m
MELTON ENTERTAINMENT PARK 01/12/25
Trial 1: – BROADWAY OBSESSION is a filly by Tall Dark Stranger out of the top mare Broadway Play. She was able to dash home in a final quarter of 28.0 seconds to win the opening trial over the unraced gelding USUAL SUSPECT, which is prepared by Darren Pace. The rising 2yo ALWAYSAPRINCESS continued her handy trial campaign with a third placed effort, finishing ahead of CO CAPTAIN and PRICILLA.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.9 Last Half: – 58.4 Margins: – 2.5m, 1.25m
Trial 4: – ROCKNROLL ROCKET began very quickly to find the lead shortly after the start. He backed off the tempo in the early stages then dashed home in a handy final half of 57.5 seconds to win by a comfortable margin. BLACKJACK WHACKO settled last of the five runners, moved up without cover at the 600m mark and battled on strongly for second. It was a handy performance leading up to his effort at Shepparton on Tuesday night. THEMIDNIGHTEXPRESS is a rising 2yo pacer and was taking on proven winners. He trailed the leader and finished a distant third but the time was solid and he did well to beat two horses across the line. MILLYS PRINCE settled three back on the markers and finished in fourth while LOTAKEVI (4 back markers) was last of the five runners across the line. LOTAKEVI is competing in a heat of the Bacchus Marsh Cup at Melton this evening.
Mile Rate: – 1.58.1 Last Half: – 57.5 Margins: – 16.5m, 6m
Trial 5: – RAMBO SUFFARELL led out then took cover at the 1800m. He came away from the markers at the 600m and sustained a long run to get the prize. The time wasn’t overly fast but he did appear to be impressive at the end. KYVALLEY JUDGE trailed the leader early and moved to the front at the 1800m. He was no match for the winner at the end but he beat the remainder of the field by a large margin. ARENA ROCK was four back on the markers early and ended up being three back at the 1600m. He held down a distant third at the finish.
Mile Rate: – 2.6.2 Last Half: – 60.7 Margins: – 12.5m, 29m
BLACKBOOKER: – Rambo Suffarell
MARYBOROUGH 01/12/25
Trial 1: – WIND STORM was the only 3yo trotter taking on the juveniles. She is an unraced filly by Southwind Frank out of the classy mare Prettylilangeleyes and she dominated her rivals in the opening trial. It would have been a good confidence boost leading up to her effort at Charlton on Monday. CARTACALHA hasn’t raced since being runner up in the Trotters Foundation Final at Menangle and recently joined trainer Brent Lilley. He finished a distant second ahead of TITANIUM STRIDE with GOODTIME KENZI finishing in fourth position.
Mile Rate: – 2.1.4 Last Half: – 61.6 Margins: – 30m, 3m
Trial 2: – STAR RULER NZ was able to win at St Arnaud last outing and kept the ball rolling with his trial victory. He scored over the juvenile filly SWEET MARION, which hasn’t started since June but looms as a strong chance at Charlton on Monday afternoon. BON VIVEUR finished a close up third and will be backing up at Horsham on Sunday. AMADA VILLMA was the fourth horse to complete the course.
Mile Rate: – 1.58.2 Last Half: – 58.9 Margins: – 7m, Nose
Trial 3: – EL CONQUEROR commenced his Australian career with a victory in the Swan Hill Cup. He was kept ticking over for his performance in the Horsham Cup on Sunday with a victory in the final trial on the program. TITAN STRIDE hasn’t started since a fourth in the Foundation Final at Menangle in April. He finished a close second and was well clear of the third placed FRANKYTHEFRENCHMAN, which is backing up at Horsham on Sunday afternoon.
Mile Rate: – 2.4.8 Last Half: – 59.5 Margins: – Neck, 15m
