Harness Racing Victoria form guru Craig Rail noticed some standout runners at recent trials, with two performers catching the eye at harness racing headquarters, Melton Entertainment Park.
Quatro Moth began quickly and dominated her trial from start to finish. She sprinted home in a slick final quarter of 27.1 seconds and scored by a big margin.
Meanwhile, Fair Play, who has not raced for more than a year, produced an impressive trial performance to win, with a blistering final quarter of 26.7 seconds.
COBRAM 04/06/26
Trial 1: – SHARP INTEREST began quickly to find the lead, ran along at an even tempo, moved away from the inside by design on the home turn and went to the line hard held to stay with his stable mate MAJESTIC SKY in a trial that was just like track work. MAJESTIC SKY had every chance behind the leader but the time was reasonable for a trotter and he wasn’t beaten by far. SHARP INTEREST is competing at Wagga this afternoon.
Mile Rate: – 2.1.8 Last Half: – 60.0 Margin: – Neck
Trial 2: – OKANUI BEACH began quickly from the outside of the front line and was able to dash to the front shortly after the start. He ran along at a reasonable tempo and battled on well in the straight, dead-heating for first with his stable mate ROCKY ROCKS. ROCKY ROCKS settled three back on the inside, moved away from the markers at the 300m and finished well to draw level on the line. He is backing up at Wagga this afternoon. AUSSIE JAY MAC NZ settled last of the four runners, came to the outside approaching the home turn and finished a distant third. He will be competing at Shepparton on Tuesday night. SWEET LOUANNE trailed the leader but couldn’t extend over the concluding stages and was last of the quartet across the line.
Mile Rate: – 1.59.4 Last Half: – 58.4 Margins: – Dead Heat, 25m
MARYBOROUGH 07/06/26
Trial 1: – LIFE ON THE HILL began quickly to find the lead, took cover behind TESSES DELIGHT and got to the front again at the 1300m when TESSES DELIGHT broke stride. He dominated at the end and scored easily. BREDBY BRUCE was three back on the markers and ended up being behind the leader. He battled on fairly well for second. He is an unraced juvenile trotter for trainer Linsay Potter and is by Classic Connection out of Flippin Issy (2.7.7), whose first foal has been placed. LYNX STRIDE was three back on the markers, moved into the death seat at the 900m and broke stride with a half mile remaining but managed to recover and finish in third. He is by Zenith Stride USA out of My Secret Stride NZ, which has produced Sargeant Stride that has been placed in two of his four starts to date.
Mile Rate: – 2.5.1 Last half: – 61.4 Margins: – 20m, 50m
Trial 2: – STOLEN DIAMOND was four back on the inside, moved into the one out and one back trail at the 600m and came out three horses wide at the home turn. He finished off best to grab victory on the line. MOODY MOCCA settled three back on the markers and moved into the death seat at the 600m. He sustained a good run and went down by a narrow margin. PRETTY POOR was without cover early, pushed forward to find the lead at the 1700m and raced greenly at the bell. He battled on fairly for third. He is by Always B Miki out of the unraced mare Lady Blanchett, which has produced Pretty Basic (1.59.6, $13,744). TEMPEST NOIR led out then took cover behind PRETTY POOR and was last of the four runners to complete the course. She is by The Storm Inside out of the unraced mare Maddies Last, whose first foal Lightning Bling has had two placed efforts to date.
Mile Rate: – 2.4.7 Last Half: – 59.8 Margins: – ½ head, 6m
Trial 4: – SPUN SILVER settled three back on the inside, moved into the one out and one back trail in the back straight and came out three horses wide on the home turn. He finished off best and scored nicely. GOODTIME MAE trailed the leader and came to the outside at the 700m mark. She tried hard in the straight and finished in second. MAHEO was four back on the markers, trailed the leader at the 500m and made good ground through the middle in the latter stages for third. THELONGROADOFHOPE began quickly to find the lead and was run down in the straight, finishing in fourth. KEAYANG QUEENIE settled last of the five runners and remained at the tail for the duration.
Mile Rate: – 2.2.3 Last Half: – 58.0 Margins: – 3m, 6m
Trial 6: – MET WITH A SHRUG was without cover early and angled in behind the leader. He pulled hard, came to the outside at the 700m and got home best to score. TRUSCOTTS ELEGANCE began quickly to find the lead and battled on strongly to finish in second position. He is competing at Melton this evening. JILLIBY RADIANCE settled three back on the markers and remained in third position throughout. He broke stride in the score up and lost his chance a few days later at Bendigo. JUST ABIT DUSTY was last of the four runners around the first corner and remained at the tail of the field. He backed up at the races at Ballarat on Thursday night, where he finished seventh behind Del’s Destiny.
Mile Rate: – 2.1.4 Last Half: – 60.0 Margins: – 6m, 5m
KYABRAM 07/06/26
Trial 1: – CRESCO CASHFLOW is usually a good beginner but has broken stride at the start at her past two race track attempts. She was a winner at Shepparton in February and was able to gain some confidence by winning the opening trial. ALDEBARAN MISTIQUE hasn’t raced since November and was second past the post while AMIRA, an unraced 3yo trotting filly, finished in third. PARIS JAMILLA was last of the four runners across the line and will be backing up at Melton this evening.
Mile Rate: – 2.7.7 Last Half: – 60.1 Margins: – 10m, 10m
Trial 2: – CRACKIN PHILTRA hasn’t raced since a promising debut third at Shepparton in November. He was able to win the trial by a large margin so it was an encouraging start to his campaign. CASTASTAR is an unraced mare by Yankee Rockstar out of Castafiore. She finished in second and was well ahead of the third placed NELLS ALL BLISS. DARK LUSTRE was last of the four runners throughout.
Mile Rate: – 2.7.7 Last Half: – 60.1 Margins: – 20m, 10m
MELTON ENTERTAINMENT PARK 09/06/26
Trial 1: – IDEAL FRANKIE won impressively at her debut and kept the momentum rolling with another dazzling display. She led throughout and established a big lead, dashing home in a sizzling final quarter of 27.0 seconds, winning by the margin of 45m! SANDELTON settled three back on the markers, came to the outside at the 400m and worked into a distant second. SWEET GEM settled four back on the markers and was the third horse across the line. STORM VENDETTA settled last of the five runners and was able to work past SOLO SWAGGER (4 back markers).
Mile Rate: – 1.58.7 Last Half: – 55.2 Margins: – 45m, ½ head
Trial 2: – QUATRO MOTH began fast and dominated the trial throughout. She dashed home in a slick final quarter of 27.1 seconds and scored by a large margin. COLORADO GIRL finished in second after trailing the leader throughout and backed up with an unplaced effort at Ballarat on Thursday night in a sizzling mile rate of 1.53.0. SOMETUFFLUV settled three back on the markers, moved away from the inside at the quarter pole and battled on fairly well for third. BULLETPROOF KID settled six back on the markers, moved through to be third on the pegs approaching the home turn and finished in fourth. He is resuming at Cranbourne on Sunday night. The trotter HARRY STAMPER NZ settled five back on the markers and finished in fifth with MISTY ALWAYS (4 back markers) being last of the six runners to complete the course.
Mile Rate: – 1.59.7 Last Half: – 56.0 Margins: – 20m, 1m
BLACKBOOKER: – Quatro Moth
Trial 3: – STORMS COLLIDE hasn’t raced since being unplaced in the Super Series Final back in November. He appeared to be very sharp in his trial success as he zoomed home in a last quarter of 26.6 seconds! SIR JIMMY is also resuming from the Super Series Final, where he finished in third position. He was runner up in the trial and was well clear of ALWAYS BE BLAKEY and LET HER ROLL.
Mile Rate: – 1.57.7 Last Half: – 54.9 Margins: – 2m, 8m
Trial 4: – FARROKH settled four back on the markers, moved into the death seat at the 1200m and sustained a long run to win the prize. He is engaged to compete at Melton on Saturday night. FRITSCH attempted to lead throughout and was still a winning chance at the 100m but he broke stride over the final stages and was second past the post. LADY MANCHE finished in third after trailing the leader throughout and UNCLAD (3 back markers) was last of the quartet to greet the judge.
Mile Rate: – 2.6.9 Last Half: – 59.4 Margins: – 4m, 8m
Trial 5: – FAIR PLAY hasn’t raced for over a year but he produced a big trial performance to win with the last quarter being 26.7 seconds. He settled four back on the markers, moved into the death seat at the 700m and finished off best to gain the prize in the last few strides. PRE EMINANT was run down on the line after finding the lead at the 1700m but couldn’t do much more with the last quarter being as quick as it was. ROCKY PACIFIC NZ began quickly to find the lead then took cover at the 1700m. He held his own at the end and ran a creditable third. TARA VICTORY NZ settled last of the seven runners, moved into the death seat at the bell and gained the one out and one back trail in the back straight on the final occasion. He worked into a distant fourth and is racing at Melton on Saturday night.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.3 Last Half: – 56.6 Margins: – ½ head, 5m
BLACKBOOKER: – Fairplay
Trial 6: – DREAMS FOREVER began smartly from the pole position and was able to lead comfortably. She backed off the tempo mid-race and finished off in a slick final quarter of 28.3 seconds to win the prize. She is by Ride High out of Flying Jo (1.55.0, $43,770) and is the first foal. COVERED IN GOLD trailed the leader and came to the outside on the home turn. He finished second with HIGH RIDER being a distant third after making his move from four back on the markers at the 600m mark. WOTTAWIZARD was five back on the markers and moved into the one out one back trail in the back straight. He finished fourth and SOLO SNITCH (3 back markers) was the last horse across the line. WOTTAWIZARD is by Stay Hungry out of Bring The Bubbles and is related to Bubble Over (1.59.0). SOLO SNITCH is by Art Major out of Saved A Corka (1.59.1, $130,397) and is related to 10 winners including Aspiring Artist (1.52.7, $170,307), Rap Artist (1.57.1, $108,041) and Major Exclusive (1.55.0, $96,035).
Mile Rate: – 2.0.0 Last Half: – 58.3 Margins: – 5m, 25m
