Harness Racing form guru Craig Rail noticed several standout performers at the recent trials.
At Maryborough, El Uno won clearly and looks well placed heading into Charlton on Monday afternoon.
At Melton, star mare Rockinwithattitude finished strongly with something in reserve. She will prove extremely hard to beat at Melton tomorrow night.
Billys Tiger Khan dashed home in a last quarter of 28.5 seconds and seemingly had plenty in reserve.
BACCHUS MARSH 12/09/26
Trial 2: – ALDEBARAN SUSANNE was placed on outside of the draw after breaking stride and causing a false start in the first attempt of her Geelong eighth on Friday night. She was a winner at Melton prior and regained the winning touch by taking out her trial in reasonable time. She is backing up at Melton tomorrow night. FLOATING MOUNTAIN has been racing at Melton and hasn’t had a great deal of luck in recent times. He finished in second position with EMMWALLEN being the third horse across the line. EMMWALLEN hasn’t started since an eighth at Melton back in January. HILLWINSOME wasn’t far away from EMWALLEN and was the fourth horse across the line. The second placed FLOATING MOUNTAIN is scheduled to commence at Melton this evening.
Mile Rate: – 2.2.8 Last Half: – 58.9 Margins: – 2m, 10m
Trial 4: – TOPSIE BEWARE won on debut at Ararat in March and has had four trials since from April through to September. She was able to take out the trial by a very narrow margin over ROBLEN RANGER, which hasn’t raced since June. THE HEATS ON LEXY was a distant third across the line ahead of SUNRISE RUBY and ILEANA. The winner TOPSIE BEWARE is scheduled to compete at Charlton on Monday afternoon.
Mile Rate: – 2.1.3 Last Half: – 59.9 Margins: – ½ head, 15m
Trial 5: – TOPSIES BLING was able to win at Ballarat on September 02 and kept the momentum rolling with a trial success in handy time. She is backing up at Charlton on Monday afternoon. THE NIGHT FOX NZ raced fiercely throughout and faded late at his Australian debut. He boasts handy credentials on New Zealand’s North Island and was able to finish in second position ahead of CALEDONIAN ROCKY, which had one start in December, where he was stood down to trial then was spelled. ARISA and SKIPPYS DELIGHT finished fourth and fifth respectively. SKIPPYS DELIGHT strikes a suitable assignment at Charlton on Monday.
Mile Rate: – 1.59.7 Last Half: – 58.4 Margins: – 4m, 4m
MARYBOROUGH 13/09/26
Trial 1: – IM THE REASON trailed the leader early before ending up being three back on the markers. He came to the outside at the 700m and sustained a good run to win the trial by a narrow margin. EVIE KATE trailed behind IM THE REASON for the majority of the trial and was in the one out and one back trail during the final circuit. She came to the outside in the home straight, made a lunge and missed out narrowly. She is competing at Charlton on Monday. THE END settled last of the five runners, moved into the running lane (1-2) at the 600m mark and was doing his best work at the end to finish in third. HILLTOP HUSTLER finished in fourth after working forward to find the lead shortly after the start.
Mile Rate: – 2.2.0 Last Half: – 58.4 Margins: – Head, 1m
Trial 2: – EL UNO began quickly to find the lead, set up a reasonable tempo and was able to win clearly. He did shift out under pressure over the latter stages but he was well clear of his rivals at the end. He appears to be well placed at Charlton on Monday afternoon. ITS DIAMOND CREEK trailed the leader throughout and finished in second. HENRYS HORSE settled three back on the markers and finished a distant third and MATISOFF was a metre away in fourth position.
Mile Rate: – 1.59.9 Last Half: – 58.4 Margins: – 8m, 15m
BLACKBOOKER: – El Uno
Trial 3: – LOVE A BULL is a juvenile filly by Raging Bull out of the six times winning mare Arbit Serena (2.0.5), which has produced the two winners Hit The Lights (2.1.1) and Kyrgios (1.56.2). She led out, took cover and came to the outside at the 700m, sustaining a good run to win nicely. KALEB settled three back on the inside, moved into the one out and one back trail at the 700m and just failed to pick up LOVE A BULL in the straight. JAZZY LOU raced without cover early, pushed forward to find the lead and peaked over the latter stages to finish a distant third. CANAKOALABEAR was in fourth position for the duration and SOME REACTION was last throughout.
Mile Rate: – 2.2.3 Last Half: – 58.6 Margins: ½ head, 25m
STAWELL 14/09/26
Trial 1: – NEATNTIDY hasn’t raced since performing below expectations at Mildura in April. He is a smart pacer when competing at his best form and he was able to win his trial easily in handy time. The Maiden pacer SWIM SUIT also hasn’t started since April and finished a distant second ahead of the unraced juvenile pacer ULTIMATE DELITE. LOUS MAMBO and MY LITTLE TROJAN were both tailed off.
Mile Rate: – 1.58.1 Last Half: – 57.5 Margins: – 14m, 13m
Trial 2: – OFF YOUR FACESKI was stood down to trial at Ballarat last outing after galloping excessively and was able to bounce back with a comfortable trial success. He was able to defeat SUPREME DOLL, which hasn’t started since galloping and finishing last of eleven at Horsham in June. The three unraced trotters GULBAHAR, MAJEKO MAN and SIR LIGHTFOOT finished third, fourth and fifth respectively in a trial where there were large margins separating each of the runners.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.3 Last Half: – 60.8 Margins: – 12m, 72m
MELTON ENTERTAINMENT PARK 15/09/26
Trial 1: – LOVEMETO NZ began well from the standing start and angled in behind the leader. He endured a nice run throughout, came to the outside at the 300m mark and finished off best to win nicely. GOTFEELINGSYOUKNOW was the fastest away from behind the tapes and attempted to lead throughout. He was run down at the end but still put in a reasonable performance. ROCKINWITHATTITUDE settled last of the three runners and never really peeled to the outside at any stage to finish close up, seemingly with something in reserve. She will prove extremely hard to beat at Melton tomorrow night.
Mile Rate: – 2.4.3 Last Half: – 57.0 Margins: – 4m, 1.5m
BLACKBOOKER: – Rockinwithattitude
Trial 2: – TIMMY TURTLE NZ settled three back on the inside, moved through to trail the leader at the 500m mark and came to the outside with 300m remaining. He worked home well and grabbed victory on the line. KYVALLEY RAY began quickly to find the lead shortly after the start. He ran along at an even tempo and was gunned down on the line. COCONUT MICKEY finished in a distant third after settling five back on the markers and MORE WANTED made ground from last of the seven runners to pick up fourth.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.3 Last Half: – 59.3 Margins: – Head, 21.5m
Trial 3: – BROOKLYN DAN began fast and shot to the lead shortly after the start. He finished off in a dazzling final quarter of 26.9 seconds and was able to win impressively. WILLOWS GIRL trailed the leader throughout and held her own over the latter stages to be in second. ALWAYS BE BLAKEY finished in third after settling four back on the markers and working home quite well. POPPY WAH WAH settled three back on the markers and never peeled to the outside at any stage. He appeared to have something left at the finish despite finishing last in what was a quality trial.
Mile Rate: – 1.58.9 Last Half: – 55.3 Margins: – 6.25m, 2m
Trial 4: – DYNAMITEDAN began smartly from the outside of the front line and found the lead shortly after the start. He was always in control of the trial and dashed home in a slick last quarter of 27.9 seconds to win comfortably. WOTDIDUSAAAY came out very quickly and got in behind the leader. He was no match for DYNAMITEDAN but he chased hard and was able to beat the remainder of the field by a large margin. He is competing at Echuca on Tuesday night. AMALFI NZ settled three back on the markers and finished in a distant third. GIVE DAVE A WAVE (4 back markers) was the fourth one home and AXE AND DEEZ was last of the five runners for the duration. GIVE DAVE A WAVE is scheduled to have a busy week with engagements at both Melton on Saturday and Echuca on Tuesday night.
Mile Rate: – 1.58.6 Last Half: – 56.2 Margins: – 7.5m, 24m
Trial 5: – COMEANDSEE is an exciting juvenile filly and was able to dominate her rivals to win by a large margin, dashing home in a sizzling final of 27.4 seconds in the process. It was a good return from her fourth in the Protostar at Albion Park in Queensland. THE BLACK MAMBA trailed the leader throughout and finished in second. WINCHESTER BOY settled last of the four runners and was able to get past CRUNCHIE GAMBLER (3 back markers) over the concluding stages.
Mile Rate: – 1.59.3 Last Half: – 57.1 Margins: – 10.5m, 27m
Trial 6: – NIGHT FLIGHT began quickly to find the lead shortly after the start. He set up a moderate tempo and was too good for his rivals at the end. He is likely to utilize his early speed again at Melton this evening. STEELY was without cover early, restrained to be three back on the markers at the 1300m, came away from the inside at the quarter pole and broke stride at the 150m. He was always going to finish second when he galloped but he probably would have finished close to the winner had he done everything right. CHAMPAGNESALLY trailed the leader throughout and finished a distant third. WHATS THE FOX SAY settled three back on the markers, broke stride at the 1300m and lost approximately ten lengths then couldn’t recover.
Mile Rate: – 2.4.5 Last Half: – 60.4 Margins: – 17.75m, 13.5m
Trial 7: – BILLYS TIGER KHAN was without cover in the early stages and progressed forward to find the lead at the 1700m and was always in control. He dashed home in a last quarter of 28.5 seconds and seemingly had plenty in reserve. BLACKINDEED began quickly to lead early, took cover at the 1700m and tried hard over the concluding stages. CAPTAIN HANK NZ settled three back on the markers early, ended up being four back on the markers at the 1700m and came to the outside at the quarter pole. He battled on fairly well for third with ROYLANCE (5 back markers) running into a distant fourth.
Mile Rate: – 1.58.6 Last Half: – 57.2 Margins: – 8m, 5.5m
BLACKBOOKER: – Billys Tiger Khan
