Watch The Attitude looms as a “big winning chance” on debut for her new stable at Maryborough on Monday.
That’s the thoughts of Harness Racing Victoria form guru Craig Rail, who spied the mare in a recent trial and believes she is worth following given her low national rating of 46.
New trainer-driver Alex Ashwood will partner the daughter of Racing Hill on Monday in the Peter Egan Bi-Rite Electrical Pace, which is race nine on the Maryborough card.
Rail picked out four Blackbookers from this week’s trial circuit, including the Sonya Smith-trained Highpoint who steps out tonight at Melton.
TRIAL REPORT
BACCHUS MARSH 13/01/24
Trial 1: - YANKEE RAIN took out the opening trial for the juvenile pacers. She is by the former Emma Stewart trained stallion Yankee Rockstar out of Sunrain (1.58.2, $72,080) and scored by a comfortable margin. SHOTINTHEDARK made it stable quinella for Tim McGuigan by running a clear second. He is by Betting Line out of the speedy mare Girls Got Rhythm (2.0.9, $34,313). PLATINUM BOY was last of the three runners across the line. He is by the former glamour pacer Poster Boy out of the classy mare Platinum Power (1.53.9, $106,993).
Mile Rate: - 2.7.7 Last Half: - 60.5 Margins: - 3m, 10m
Trial 5: - HITTHEROADJACK NZ was clearly the class runner of the trial and was able to build up some confidence for tonight’s Melton performance by winning comfortably. TREMBITA is also competing at Melton this evening and finished ahead of UP AND ABOUT and GOODTIME HAYLEY.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.6 Last Half: - 59.6 Margins: - 12m, ½ head
Trial 6: - CHINSKI NZ has been freshened since his latest unplaced run and was able to take out the standing start trial after commencing from the handicap of 20m. He is backing up at Melton this evening and is drawn favourably. MAJESTIC CONNIES NZ also commenced from the handicap of 20m and finished in second with THE SARGENT being in third position. THE SARGENT was stood down to trial at his latest performance and was able to re-qualify for his performance at Melton this evening. He is also a reserve at Melton on Tuesday night and will be suited in that event if he gains a start considering it is over the very short trip of 1200m and he possesses gate speed.
Mile Rate: - 2.7.5 Last Half: - 61.4 Margins: - 6m, head
MARYBOROUGH 13/01/24
Trial 1: - TRIPLE ZED trailed the leader and came to the outside at the 500m mark. He finished off in slick final sectionals to win the trial from MIRAMANEE, which settled three back on the markers, moved through to trail the leader when TRIPLE ZED made his move then used the sprint lane. She finished ahead of CLEM MCARDLE (4 back markers) with the early leader ZOOM ZOOM BOOM being last of the four runners across the line. MIRAMANEE backed up with an eighth placed effort at Cobram on Thursday.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.4 Last Half: - 57.1 Margins: - 2m, 2m
Trial 4: - The juvenile trial was won by the John Murphy prepared ATEGO BARBARJOAN (Major Bronski – Dance With Mia (2.0.0, $27,405)) after trailing the leader and coming to the outside with 300m remaining. THINKFAST RUNFAST contested the first two years old race of the season and finished in second after trying to lead throughout. INSIDER TRADING (The Storm Inside – No Share Left 1.59.5, $43,230) settled three back on the markers and finished in third position, well ahead of the Zac Steenhuis trained trio LADY EXIT (Betting Line – Phils Grinning 1.59.0, $6,938), PERFECT PEACH (Well Said – The Georgia Peach 1 win, $4,990) and PERFECT PLAYGIRL (Stay Hungry – Jules Peach 1.57.2, $46,125).
Mile Rate: - 2.9.7 Last Half: - 61.8 Margins: - Neck, 10m
Trial 6: - WATCH THE ATTITUDE has recently joined trainer Alex Ashwood and created a good impression with his runaway success over WIN FLYNN. He showed good gate speed to lead and went to the line untouched to score by ten metres. Considering he has a low National Rating of 46, he is worth following and he is a big winning chance at Maryborough on Monday. WIN FLYNN settled three back on the inside, moved into the death at the 700m and battled on strongly for second with INAUGURATE using the sprint lane from four back on the markers to finish in third position. WIN FLYNN is contesting a heat of the Mares Sprint Championship at Maryborough on Monday.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.5 Last Half: - 58.0 Margins: - 10m, 1m
BLACKBOOKER: - Watch The Attitude
MILDURA 13/01/24
Trial 3: - WOODY NIGHTSHADE showed good gate speed to lead and ran along at a genuine tempo. He was able to win comfortably over ROJENBYE, which came from last of the four runners to pick up second position with ELPINE WARRIOR (3 back on the markers) finishing in third spot.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.7 Last Half: - 60.0 Margins: - 7m, 1/2m
Trial 4: - HES A MODERN BOY began quickly to find the lead and recorded the fastest time of the five trials to win nicely. DEVIL OF A SMILE raced without cover in the early stages and attempted to find the lead. He dropped in behind the leader at the bell and chased hard in the latter stages to finish a game second. SHIREEN was three back on the markers early and ended up being last of the four competitors in the middle stages before working into a distant third.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.2 Last Half: - 61.8 Margins: - 1m, 20m
MELTON ENTERTAINMENT PARK 15/01/24
Trial 1: - COMMODUS is a juvenile trotter for trainer Mark Hayes and produced a sensational trial effort to beat older horses and post a mile rate of 2.2.4, which is a top run for a 2yo trotter at this stage of the season. He is by Father Patrick out of the New Zealand bred mare American Jewel and obviously has a promising future. LOVENUS attempted to lead early but couldn’t get around COMMODUS and ended up angling in for the trail behind. He moved to the outside with 500m remaining but couldn’t rally in the straight and finished over ten metres away in second. KYVALLEY MARIACHI was last of the three runners across the line after breaking stride and losing approximately fifty metres on the first turn.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.4 Last Half: - 59.52 Margins: - 10.5m, 166m
BLACKBOOKER: - Commodus
Trial 2: - BILLYS TIGER KHAN is a juvenile pacer for trainer Allan McDonough, which led throughout to win his trial. He is by Tiger Tara out of Rosie Khan and dominated his rivals to win by a large margin. ELLEEGANT LANE (Rock N Roll Heaven – Torea Lane NZ 1.58.7, $32,110) finished in second position after trailing the leader throughout. WHISKEYDRINKINGBILL (Always B Miki – Cullens Desire NZ 1.58.8, $15,635) finished in third after breaking stride at the start, losing approximately fifteen metres and finishing well along the sprint lane from fifth at the quarter pole. TELERN LOFTY (Vincent – Telern Pepper) came from last to pick up fourth ahead of ROLLINGINTHEDEEP (Rock N Roll Heaven – Somedreamsomewhere 1.56.6, $74,8957) and EVILEYE (Ultimate Machete – Savious Clare 1.55.3, $33,350).
Mile Rate: - 2.0.1 Last Half: - 57.28 Margins: - 31m, 2.5m
Trial 3: - IMPERIAL WHIZ NZ showed his usual early brilliance to find the lead and dominated his rivals to win easily. EASY PICKINGS NZ came from three back on the markers and picked up second with HIGHPOINT coming from last of the five runners to work into third position. Considering his National Rating of 53 compared to the much higher ratings of the first two across the line, it was a good effort and he is capable of running a big race at Melton tonight. Each of the three place getters are competing at Melton this evening.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.7 Last Half: - 59.12 Margins: - 13m, 3m
BLACKBOOKER: - Highpoint
Trial 4: - PARADIGM looked to be very sharp leading up to her first up performance at Melton on Tuesday and will take beating in that event. She led out then took cover and moved away from the inside at the 300m before storming away in the straight. FRANCO PROMACHOS NZ is an unraced New Zealand bred pacer, which settled down three back on the markers and finished in second with INDELIBLE being third across the line after working forward to find the lead and galloping under pressure with 150m remaining.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.6 Last Half: - 58.14 Margins: - 20m, 6m
BLACKBOOKER: - Paradigm
Trial 5: - OLLIVICI NZ recently returned from a Queensland Inter Dominion campaign, where he finished seventh in the Final. He settled last of the three runners, came to the outside with 900 remaining and seemed to win with plenty in reserve. IS THAT A BID attempted to lead throughout and finished second with HOT TO TROT NZ (behind leader) being the last one to cross the line but it is fair to day that none of the three runners were fully extended at any stage. HOT TO TROT NZ is backing up at Ballarat on Saturday night.
Mile Rate: - 2.4.4 Last Half: - 57.78 Margins: - 1.5m, 4m
Trial 7: - AXE AND DEEZ is an unraced 3yo pacer for trainer Andy Gath and dashed home in a slick final quarter of 27.92 seconds to win his trial over LONESOME WARRIOR, which attempted to lead all of the way. He is making his debut at Melton on Tuesday night and must be considered as a winning chance. LONESOME WARRIOR is backing up in the same race at Melton and is drawn to obtain a prominent position again. HIS DREAM LIVES ON came from four back on the markers in the trial to finish in third spot and will be backing up at Geelong on Sunday.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.7 Last Half: - 58.16 Margins: - 1.5m, 13.5m
Trial 8: - LAYDEN settled four back on the markers, moved into the one out and one back trail at the 700m and came out three horses wide on the home turn. He produced a strong finishing burst to defeat SEVE NZ, which attempted to lead throughout. SEVE NZ is resuming from a long spell at Melton on Tuesday night. LEAVE YOUR HAT ON trailed the leader and finished third ahead of FIGHTER COMMAND, which went to the line jogging with no clear run.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.1 Last Half: - 57.18 Margins: - 1.5m, 3.5m
Trial 9: - DREAM MAZE is competing in the feature Mares event at Ballarat on Saturday night and created a good impression in winning her trial over the Breeders Crown winner PERFECT CLASS. She sat in the trail behind PERFECT CLASS, came to the outside on the home turn and was able to finish off in a superb last quarter of 26.77 seconds. PERFECT CLASS was beaten by a narrow margin after setting a slow early speed and MODERN BLISS and HEAVENLY CHARM were third and fourth respectively throughout the entire trial. MODERN BLISS will be competing at Ballarat tomorrow night.
Trial 10: - The reigning Miracle Mile champion CATCH A WAVE produced a slashing performance to win the tenth event leading up to his return in the Ballarat Cup tomorrow night. He settled last of the three runners, waited for the sprint lane and dashed past the early leader MACH DAN to win the trial. The most impressive part of the victory was the sensational last quarter of 25.83 seconds, which was leader to winner with CATCH A WAVE coming from approximately ten metres behind MACH DAN. MACH DAN was narrowly beaten and will also return from a spell in the Ballarat Cup tomorrow night. ENCIPHER (trailed leader) was last of the three runners to cross the line but wasn’t beaten by far.
Mile Rate: - 1.58.3 Last Half: - 54.31 Margins: - ½ head, 3.5m
BENDIGO 15/01/24
Trial 4: - MAYWYN BONTON BOY settled three back on the markers before gaining a one out and one back trail. He came to the outside at the 300m mark and finished off well to score by a narrow margin over his stable mate ALPHA STRIDE, which attempted to lead throughout. LAVADA GOLD came from sixth and finished off solidly for third in what was a slowly run trial and a dash up the home straight. ALPHA STRIDE makes his debut at Melton on Tuesday night.
Mile Rate: - 2.9.2 Last Half: - 60.2 Margins: - Head, 7m
Trial 6: - DANGEROUS has always shown a lot of ability and this could be his season to shine. He hasn’t started since finishing fourth in the Super Series Final and he led throughout to win the trial in fast time. TAY TAY came from last of the three runners in slick final sectionals to finish in second with MAJOR FIRE NZ (trailed leader) being third across the line.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.9 Last Half: - 56.4 Margins: - 2m, 4m
SHEPPARTON 16/01/24
Trial 4: - PUDDNDORT was successful in a slowly run trial but both she and the runner up ALL ITTOOK put in tidy performances and should race better than the facts and figures of the trial suggest when they hit the race track. PUDDNDORT has had two starts in New South Wales to date, which was during last season’s Bathurst Gold Crown Carnival and she commenced from the second line before settling sixth on the markers and producing a strong finishing burst to take out the trial. ALL ITTOOK settled three back on the markers, was held up for a run at a vital stage and finished off strongly so it was an eye-catching performance. The early leader LORD BANFF finished in third position.
Mile Rate: - 2.7.9 Last Half: - 60.6 Margins: - 1m, 1m
Trial 5: - There were only two runners in the open class trial but CAPTAIN HAMMERHEAD performed very well. He led throughout and zipped home in slick final sectionals to win clearly. He hasn’t raced since a third in the Victoria Derby in October but it seems he is ready to go on with some big plans for the Summer Carnivals. SCORCHA finished ten metres in arrears after sitting in the trail and attempting a run from the 300m mark.
Mile Rate: - 2.7.9 Last Half: - 56.8 Margin: - 10m
TERANG 17/01
Trial 1: - KEAYANG JIGSAW is an unraced gelding by Captaintreacherous, which won his trial in effortless fashion. He trailed the leader PLAY ALTO, came to the outside on the home turn and sprinted well clear in the straight to win by a large margin. PLAY ALTO held down second with WEERROOK WILSON coming from last of the four runners to pick up third position.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.6 Last Half: - 60.1 Margins: - 20m, 15m
Trial 4: - LOVE YA BROTHER trailed the leader after stepping away safely from behind the tapes and finished off best to get the prize. He did well to run down his pacing stable mate SWEETPASSION with BETTORPATCHMEUP being last of the three runners throughout.
Mile Rate: - 2.7.6 Last Half: - 59.8 Margins: - Head, 25m
