The wins have kept coming for trainer Julie Douglas, who has a hold on Victoria's state trainers' premiership and may have more wins in the offing if this week's Trial File is a gauge.
New addition to the camp that's enjoyed 145 wins from 892 starts this season, Ringos A Star, has been added to the Blackbook after recording "a very impressive win".
Having joined from Wayne Anderson's camp, he did plenty of work before finishing "determinedly" to score ahead of Community Art.
More on his run and his replay are below along with other Blackbook additions School Caption, Ser Patrick and Ballapark Beno.
With such great racing coming up in Victoria there were also plenty of stars who stepped out this week, including reigning Vic Cup champ Max Delight, Like A Wildfire, Act Now, Bondi Lockdown, Our Millionaire, Ultimate Stride, Beyond Delight, Amore Vita and Pink Galahs.
Highlights from the trials circuit are below, with the updated Blackbook at the bottom.
SHEPPARTON 01/09/22
Trial 2: - The Victoria Cup hero MAX DELIGHT hasn’t raced since a fifth in the Popular Alm Sprint at Kilmore in July but looked very sharp in his trial victory over JUST HOPE. He settled sixth on the markers, moved into the death seat with 700m remaining and scored untouched. He makes his return to the track at Melton tomorrow night in the Group 1 VHRC Caduceus Classic. JUST HOPE followed behind MAX DELIGHT all of the way and lost no admirers with a handy finishing second. She will prove hard to beat in the Group 3 Alabar Vicbred Platinum Pace at Melton tomorrow night. The former New South Wales pacer ROCKET BOY finished third in the trial after racing keenly in the lead and DAYLIGHT AT DAWN (4 back markers) was doing his best work late to be in fourth. DAYLIGHT AT DAWN backed up at Bendigo on Wednesday night and finished hard for an eye-catching third.
Mile Rate: - 1.58.9 Last Half: - 56.5 Margins: - 5m, 1m
Trial 3: - SHARKTON began quickly to lead, took cover and came to the outside with 150m remaining. He finished off best to win comfortably. He hasn’t raced since a Kilmore victory in February and showed at the trials that he is capable of having a good campaign. DALVEY ROBYN NZ is a former New Zealand pacer, which has had two local starts to date back in May. He set up the speed and boxed on well for second. SUMMERDAYS finished third from his position of being three back on the markers and ALWAYS LOCKSLEY (5 back markers) was finding the line strongly out wide on the track without being pushed.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.7 Last Half: - 58.2 Margins: - Neck, 5m
Trial 4: - LOVE LOU LONGTIME NZ was placed in all of his five starts in New Zealand before heading to New South Wales. He performed a little below expectations in three efforts at Menangle but has recently joined trainer Lisa Bartley and was able to win his trial in reasonable time after trailing the leader throughout. The run of the trials came from SCHOOL CAPTAIN, which is a 2yo son of Captaintreacherous out of the handy performer Yankee Showgirl (1.56.5, $32,806). Yankee Showgirl is a daughter of the top broodmare Aston Villa, which has already produced four $100,000+ earners including Yankee Rockstar (1.52.2, $329,048), Born to Rocknroll (1.52.5, $300,684), Poster Boy (1.49.1, $803,310) and Zoliver (1.53.6, $102,878). He broke stride at the start and lost approximately 30m, settled sixth on the markers and came out four horses wide on the home turn before storming home to be beaten by a narrow margin. The classy trotter LOCKSLEY LOVER finished third after being five back on the inside and making a wide move from the 400m.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.5 Last Half: - 58.5 Margins: - 1m, 6m
BLACKBOOKER: - School Captain
MILDURA 04/09/22
Trial 1: - VIEIRA was able to lead throughout from the juvenile qualifier CAULONIA PLAYBOY (trailed leader), which is out of the handy race mare Caulonia Babe (1.55.3, $46,838). She has produced two winners including the open class performer Caulonia Terror (1.55.4, $118,190). HUNGRY HOGARTH was last of the three runners throughout but wasn’t beaten by far after obtaining an inside run in the home straight.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.1 Last Half: - Not given Margins: - 1/2m, head
Trial 2: - WILSHIRE BOULEVARD was clearly the class runner of the field and was able to score after settling three back on the markers and moving to the outside at the 800m. FOUR STARZZZ RUBY attempted to lead throughout and finished second with the juvenile pacer OUR MASTER PLAY doing a good job against the older horses to run into third.
Mile Rate: - 2.5.6 Last Half: - 58.5 Margins: - ½ head, 5m
MARYBOROUGH 04/09/22
Trial 1: - DISTRICT ATTORNEY began brilliantly to find the lead and was a dominant winner of the opening trial. He dashed clear in the final 150m to win clearly. CAPTAIN PINS NZ finished second after trailing the leader throughout and RELENTLESS ME was last of the three horses for the entire trip but was never extended at any stage.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.0 Last Half: - Not given Margins: - Not given
Trial 4: - SER PATRICK hasn’t raced since a third at Kilmore in May. He is an underrated trotter, which has won five of his twenty-five starts and looked to be at his peak with an easy trial victory. He began well to trail the leader early, moved to the outside with 700m remaining and won with plenty in reserve. EBONYS AVENGER attempted to lead throughout and fought on well for second. STINGOFAWASP was unlucky in finishing third after he settled four back on the inside and was caught behind tiring runners, losing approximately 25m approaching the home turn.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.6 Last Half: - 56.3 Margins: - 1m, 10m
BLACKBOOKER: - Ser Patrick
Trial 5: - The former South Australian trained pacer BOAK began quickly to lead, took cover at the 1600m and was able to secure victory when the pacemaker TICTOK galloped in the home straight. He backed up to finish fifth behind Mister Uptown at Bendigo on Wednesday night. TICTOK galloped early and was retired out of trial four, backed up in trial five and appeared to be the winner in the home straight but made another error. She followed with a trial victory over Icicle at Hamilton on Thursday.
Mile Rate: - 2.5.7 Last Half: - 58.7 Margins: - Head, 10m
CRANBOURNE 04/09/22
Trial 2: - MACHANE SAID is a son of the former top mare La Machane and hasn’t started since recording successive victories at Warragul and Cranbourne in April. He led out then took a trail before waiting for the sprint lane and extending nicely at the end to score nicely. ONEHANDONEBOUNCE came from three back on the markers to fill second spot and the early leader WATTLEBANK FLYER was third.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.9 Last Half: - 59.9 Margins: - 6.5m, 3.5m
BENDIGO 05/09/22
Trial 2: - MEYDAN settled four back on the inside, moved into the death seat at the 500m and hit the lead on the home turn. He was able to hold off the challenge from stable mate INTERVIEW FRA, which settled five back on the inside and came out three horses wide on the home turn. BULLAPARK BENO settled down last of the six runners, trailed into the race nicely and never peeled to the outside at any stage. All of the first three place getters appeared to go to the line with plenty in reserve.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.1 Last Half: - 60.6 Margins: - 1m, 4m
BLACKBOOKER: - Bullapark Beno
Trial 5: - AROHA KOE recorded a slow mile rate but he is a beautifully bred colt being by Love You out of the Inter Dominion winning mare Sumthingaboutmaori (2.0.9, $461,499) and he appeared to be very green. He trailed the leader then worked to the front at the 1700m and defeated MULBERRY PIE.
Mile Rate: - 2.5.6 Last Half: - 61.8 Margins: - 4m, 36m
Trial 6: - RINGOS A STAR has recently joined trainer Julie Douglas and recorded a very impressive win. He settled sixth on the pegs, moved into the death seat at the 900m and was forced out three horses wide at the 500m. He finished determinedly to defeat COMMUNITY ART, which was four back on the markers and used the sprint lane. The early leader ACE DUIGAN finished third and ILLAWONG KELLIE finished off strongly for fourth.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.7 Last Half: - 61.1 Margins: - 4m, 4m
BLACKBOOKER: - Ringos A Star
Trial 7: - VANQUISH STRIDE settled four back on the inside, moved into the one out and one back trail at the 500m and came out three horses wide on the home turn. He finished fast to win easily and without being pushed. He is meeting a significantly harder field at Melton tomorrow night but he is close to his peak form. WRITE ABOUT ANGUS NZ led out then took cover to finish second and RENKO NZ was third after finding the lead at the 1800m mark. WRITE ABOUT ANGUS NZ is backing up at Shepparton on Sunday.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.4 Last Half: - 57.4 Margins: - Neck, Nose
TABCORP PARK, MELTON 06/09/22
Trial 1: - VISIONARY continued her excellent trial form with a victory over ULTIMATE STRIDE NZ, which commenced from the handicap of 40m. She began well from the standing start to trail the leader, moved into the death seat at the 800m and hit the front before the quarter pole so it was a strong display. She is returning from a break under the standing start conditions at Warragul on Monday and should prove very hard to beat. ULTIMATE STRIDE NZ settled down last of the six runners from his big handicap before gaining a trail forward behind VISIONARY in the last lap. GET LUCKY NZ settled four back on the inside and ran into a distant third.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.5 Last Half: - 57.64 Margins: - 1.5m, 22m
Trial 3: - BROMWICH raced without cover before pressing forward to find the lead at the 1800m mark. He always appeared to be comfortable in the run and scored effortlessly. CHINESE WHISPER NZ settled six back on the inside, moved away from the markers at the 800m (1-2) and ran home strongly for an eye-catching second. ELECTROJET led out then took cover and finished third ahead of LADY IN THE SKY NZ, which came from last and worked home quite nicely.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.0 Last half: - 57.88 Margins: - 4.5m, 1.5m
Trial 6: - LITTLE LOUIE hasn’t raced since a fourth at Ballarat in June. He finished second in the Sapling Stakes at his effort prior and appears to have a promising future. He won his trial after settling down in sixth position before gaining a one out and one back trail at the 600m and coming out three horses wide on the home turn. AMERICAN WEREWOLF finished second after trailing the leader early and finding the leader at the 1300m. He led into the straight but locked wheels with TEMPTING TIGRESS NZ, which was looming as a winning chance from four back on the markers before losing her opportunity in the home straight.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.2 Last Half: - 57.46 Margins: - 3.5m, 7m
Trial 7: - LIKE A WILDFIRE NZ returned from his hit and run mission to Queensland for the Blacks A Fake (Group 1), where eighth behind Majestic Cruiser, with an emphatic trial victory. He settled three back on the inside, moved into the death seat at the 500m and produced a stunning last half to take the prize. OUR MILLIONAIRE trailed the leader ACT NOW and finished well via the sprint lane for second with ACT NOW holding down third. BONDI LOCKDOWN was last of the four runners across the line but wasn’t beaten by far and considering the final quarter was recorded in an unbelievable 25.89 seconds, all of the horses competing in the trial went exceptionally well.
Mile Rate: - 1.59.5 Last Half: - 54.89 Margins: - 1.5m, ½ Neck
Trial 9: - AMERICAN HAMMER NZ began brilliantly to lead before taking cover at the 1800m. He moved away from the inside at the quarter pole before switching back into the sprint lane in the straight and accelerated nicely to score. UPSIZE ME NZ produced another good trial effort in second position. He settled last of the seven runners, came out three horses wide at the 900m, got up without cover at the 500m and sustained the run to be beaten by a narrow margin. He is competing at Warragul on Monday afternoon and should prove extremely hard to beat. ROCK ARTIST remains undefeated in two starts and hasn’t raced since April. The juvenile son of Yankee Rockstar produced a strong finish from four back on the markers to run an eye-catching third.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.6 Last Half: - 56.56 Margins: - Nose, 2.5m
Trial 10: - BEYOND DELIGHT recently returned from a Queensland Winter Carnival campaign, where he ran fifth in The Rising Sun (Group 1), twelfth in the 4yo Championship (Group 3) and was successful in a Metropolitan event, all at Albion Park. He looked to be on top of his game with an easy trial victory after he found the lead at the 1700m. MAKE WAY NZ led out then took cover behind the winner to run second and AMORE VITA NZ came from last of the six runners to pick up third without being pushed at any stage. AMORE VITA NZ also recently returned from Queensland with her latest effort being a second in the Queensland Oaks (Group 1).
Mile Rate: - 1.56.1 Last Half: - 56.53 Margins: - 9m, 5m
Trial 12: - JUSTALITTLESIP NZ continued his impressive run of form by taking out the final trial. He settled four back on the markers, moved up without cover from the 900m and got the better of the leader FARADY HANOVER USA to land the prize. He appeared to have something in reserve and the last quarter was a sensational 27.02 seconds so it was a top performance.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.5 Last Half: - 55.31 Margins: - Neck, 3m
HAMILTON 07/09/22
Trial 3: - HES CHARLIES ANGEL hasn’t started since being unplaced in the Super Series Final at Melton in December. He produced some big performances last season and commenced his campaign promisingly with a win over the speedy pacer KOWALSKI ANALYSIS with HEZA SON OFA GUN being in third. The top trotting mare PINK GALAHS was fourth and KOLOVOS NZ was last of the five runners in a very strong trial.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.5 Last Half: - 56.0 Margins: - 8.5m, 2m
