A victory over the pacers at the trials has Craig Rail excited by what’s ahead for proven big-race performer Prince Of Rock.
The Harness Racing Victoria form guru was taken by the effort of the Daryl Crone-trained squaregaiter when he prevailed in style at Maryborough on Sunday.
“Prince Of Rock is a trotter and was taking on the pacers, so he delivered an outstanding display to land the prize,” Rail wrote.
“He went forward at the start and had a speed battle with the early leader Reign Em In in the early stages before forging to the front with 1500m remaining. He kept on rolling and was strong at the finish, winning in handy time.”
Rail added Prince of Rock to his Blackbook alongside Lionel and Astral Stride from the Victorian trials circuit this week.
TRIAL REPORT
SHEPPARTON 16/05/24
Trial 1: FRUGAL FARE continued his good trial form with a victory over SON OF A BROAD after he led throughout. SON OF A BROAD battled on well after trailing the leader throughout and finished nicely in advance of the remainder of the field. He has had a busy week and will be competing again at Shepparton this evening. The third placed LIONEL delivered an eye-catching performance to finish in third. He settled last of the six runners, came to the outside at the 800m and continuously made ground. He is by Sweet Lou out of the good race mare Charlotte Brew (1.58.0, $112,950) and might be worth following.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.2 Last Half: - 58.3 Margins: - Head, 6m
BLACKBOOKER: - Lionel
Trial 3: - ROAM trailed the leader early and ended up being three back on the markers from the 1600m when HUNTERS FOLLY made a lightning dash around the field from last to find the lead. He moved away from the inside to hit the front at the 500m mark and sustained the run to get the prize. SUNSET STRIDE continued his good form by working home nicely from sixth to fill second spot. He will be attempting to complete a winning hat trick this evening. TE KALCHE was seven back on the markers and angled out wide on the track from the 700m. He sustained a strong run to finish in third. OUR CHEEKY DEVIL picked up some ground from the back to finish a distant fourth and will be backing up at Shepparton this evening.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.0 Last Half: - 58.6 Margins: - 5m, 2m
Trial 4: - TECHYS WATCHING trailed the leader in the early stages and ended up being three back on the markers. He finished off strongly to win comfortably. OURMATEMENKO NZ settled in sixth before moving away from the markers at the bell (1-2). He trailed into the race from the 600m mark (3-1) then finished off nicely out wide on the track for second. He has drawn on the pole position at Shepparton this evening. DALLAS MIKI settled on the markers in third position, was four back on the inside shortly afterwards then moved through to trail the leader mid-race. He was held up for a run at a vital stage but finished off well in the final 100m for third. He had no luck whatsoever after enduring a torrid trip when resuming at Swan Hill on Wednesday. WENDYS WISH finished seventh but she was very slow in the score up and missed the start by approximately 50m so she did a good job to finish as close as she did. She does possess gate speed and is not without a chance at Shepparton this evening.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.4 Last Half: - 59.0 Margins: - 5m, 5m
Trial 5: - RAPID RETURN settled four back on the inside, gained a 1-1 trail at the 600m, came out 3 wide on the turn and finished off strongly to record an impressive win. She finished fifth when resuming from a break at Maryborough on Thursday. YOU GOT ME GOOD showed good gate speed to lead and established a clear margin in the early and middle stages. He was run down late but gave a bold showing and defeated the remainder of the field headed by ALDEBARAN ELEKTRA (behind leader) by a good margin. He backed up with a game second at Maryborough on Thursday while ALDEBARAN ELEKTRA makes her debut at Bendigo on Tuesday night.
Mile Rate: - 2.4.7 Last Half: - 60.7 Margins: - 1m, 10m
MARYBOROUGH 19/05/24
Trial 1: - NAKULA NZ began quickly to find the lead and set up a slow tempo. She was able to hold off her rivals in the dash up the straight to win by a narrow margin. KATIES WAY trailed the leader, came away from the markers on the home turn and loomed as a chance but couldn’t get past NAKULA NZ at the end. BRIGADIERS SON NZ and TIL HEAVENS ROCKN NZ were third and fourth respectively throughout.
Mile Rate: - 2.8.2 Last Half: - 57.7 Margins: - 1m, 4m
Trial 3: - YANKEE GAMBLER is working up to a win and produced a solid front running display to win comfortably. He didn’t have much luck in the straight when fifth at Ballarat on Thursday night. DANCE AFFAIR settled five back on the markers, moved into the one out and one back trail in the back straight and finished off nicely out wide on the track to gain second prize. She is backing up at Horsham on Monday afternoon. SMOKE SCREEN was three back on the markers, moved up without cover from the bell and battled on fairly well for third in front of SOHO UNDERTAKER, which trailed the leader. MAJOR DRAMA finished fifth but he did make up a lot of ground from last in the final 150m of the trial. He backed up at Ballarat on Thursday night and finished sixth after he was held up for a run at a vital stage.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.2 Last Half: - 57.6 Margins: - 4m, 5m
Trial 5: - HESITATE began quickly and was able to fire to the lead shortly after the start. He shifted off the track on the home turn to allow his stable mate STORMY WOODS to gain an inside run and the pair were able to sprint down the straight together just like track work with HESITATE being the superior at the end. Both horses will be competing in the Sapling Stakes at Melton on Saturday night. ARE WEASLEY settled three back on the markers and finished in third leading up to his effort at Horsham on Monday. ALWAYS SUGAR was the only 3yo pacer in the trial and was taking on the juveniles but she did deliver a good performance. She settled down last of the six runners, was inconvenienced by a tiring runner with 700m remaining and made up a lot of ground at the end.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.3 Last Half: - 56.9 Margins: - Head, 15m
Trial 7: - PRINCE OF ROCK is a trotter and was taking on the pacers so he delivered an outstanding display to land the prize. He went forward at the start and had a speed battle with the early leader REIGN EM IN in the early stages before forging to the front with 1500m remaining. He kept on rolling and was strong at the finish, winning in handy time. REIGN EM IN eventually took cover and waited for the home straight to make his move. He tried hard in the straight and was beaten by a narrow margin. He will be competing at Bendigo on Tuesday night. BALTIC HALO settled five back on the markers behind LOAN SAILOR and moved into the one out and one back trail when LOAN SAILOR made a move at the bell. He was able to get past LOAN SAILOR in the straight and ran into a distant third. LOAN SAILOR will be competing at Horsham on Monday afternoon.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.4 Last Half: - 59.7 Margins: - Neck, 15m
BLACKBOOKER: - Prince of Rock
Trial 8: - MONSIEUR FLAMEL has struck peak form and kept the momentum rolling with a trial success over ARKLOW. He led out then took a trail at the 1200m before driving along the sprint lane in the home straight. ARKLOW put in an eye-catching performance. He was four back on the markers and last of the seven runners in the back straight before producing a barnstorming finish to miss out narrowly. He backed up to win at Ballarat on Thursday night. IT’S A FUGAZI raced without cover early before progressing forward to find the leading role at the 1200m mark. He battled on well in the straight to finish in third.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.3 Last half: - 58.5 Margins: - 1m, 4m
Trial 10: - EMILY VINCENT began quickly and was without cover early, angled in behind the leader then produced a strong finishing burst at the end to claim the prize in fast time. FOREGONE CONCLUSION NZ began quickly to lead and set up a genuine tempo. He battled on well for second but over-raced badly when he backed up at Swan Hill on Wednesday night and finished down the track in the race won by Hungry Hogarth. BEAU BRONSKI wanted to pull hard in behind the leader early, ended up being three back on the markers then moved up without cover at the bell. He finished in a distant third.
Mile Rate: - 1.59.6 Last half: - 58.8 Margins: - 3m, 25m
Trial 12: - SER PATRICK stepped away quickly from the standing start and found the lead comfortably. He was never in danger of defeat and was able to win clearly. He struck trouble and finished unplaced in his effort at Maryborough on Thursday night. DOUBLE HELIX finished in second after trailing the leader throughout and finished well in advance of IVEGOTBILLS NZ, which settled three back on the markers.
Mile Rate: - 2.7.3 Last Half: - 59.8 Margins: - 10m, 30m
KYABRAM 19/05/24
Trial 1: - UPRIGHT hasn’t raced since suffering a bleeding attack and being stood down for the mandatory three months in December. He was able to win the opening trial from the Jeremy Quinlan prepared duo ROCKEN, which has recently joined the stable, and MAYWYNS JEWEL. ROCKEN will be heading up to Wagga on Tuesday night.
Mile Rate: - 2.4.4 Last half: - 62.9 Margins: - 5m, 3m
CRANBOURNE 19/05/24
Trial 2: - BENBULLAN was performing nicely at the trials prior to making his race track return on April 16. He is yet to win this campaign but he has been runner up at his past two starts and he won the trial by a large margin and in good time so the signs are encouraging. He appears to be a good chance at Cranbourne on Sunday. DEFYING THE ODDS hasn’t raced since December and finished well clear of the juvenile pacer DULCIE MAUREEN to finish in second. DULCIE MAUREEN is a filly by former Ballarat Cup hero Highview Tommy for trainer Alex Freeman and was third across the line.
Mile Rate: - 1.59.7 Last half: - 58.3 Margins: - 27m, 21m
MILDURA 20/05/24
Trial 2: - MY ULTIMATE LEVI has raced in four States during his career and his recent form has been in South Australia, where he has won four of his past five starts. He has joined trainer Boris Devcic and recorded handy time in his trial success over ROSCOES RESCUE. POWERSOFPERSUASION finished a nose away in third position and was ahead of MAJOR ROLL, which hasn’t raced since April 2022 but finished fifth in the Echuca Cup just prior to his long break.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.3 Last Half: - 8m, Nose Margins: - 8m, Nose
Trial 3: - ISLAND CAESAR has always shown some potential and might go well in the Sunraysia. He has recently joined the stables of Naomi Kerr and he has a low National Rating of 42 so he should be well placed at Mildura but he is competing against a handy field at Globe Derby on Saturday night. He was able to win his trial by a comfortable margin over MAGIC MATTY, an unraced gelding by Dawn Ofa New Day, which was foaled in December 2015. RAINBOW RAIN was third past the post and finished well clear of the fourth placed HESASTAR.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.6 Last Half: - 60.3 Margins: - 3m, 8m
Trial 4: - IM ALRIGHT JACK finished fourth at Globe Derby when he was last on the race track and he would have gained some confidence with a trial victory in handy time over ROJENBYE, which has recently joined trainer Naomi Kerr. SURFIN AT MIDNIGHT finished third and the recent Mildura winner BRIE was fourth across the line.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.9 Last Half: - 58.5 Margins: - 3m,20m
SHEPPARTON 21/05/24
Trial 1: - CHART TOPPER hasn’t raced since being unplaced in a semi-final of the Breeders Crown in November but he appeared to be very sharp in his trial success, where he led throughout. THEROCKGOD prepared for his effort at Bendigo on Tuesday night with a solid second after he settled five back on the inside before leaving the markers at the 500m and running home well. INSIDE LEG is also scheduled to compete at Bendigo and finished in third spot after trailing behind the leader and eventual winner throughout. ULTIMATE FORCE and OURMATEMENKO both found the line well leading up to their performances at Shepparton tonight with ULTIMATE FORCE (4 back markers) using the sprint lane and OURMATEMENKO NZ (6 back markers) coming out wide on the track.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.5 Last Half: - 56.9 Margins: - 8m, head
Trial 3: - ASTRAL STRIDE is an unraced filly by Captaintreacherous out of the American bred mare Lunar Stride USA (1.54.2) and is the first foal. She settled five back on the markers, came out four horses wide on the home turn and produced a big finishing burst to record a narrow but decisive victory. MAGGIE MOTH was three back on the markers, came out wide on the turn and hit the lead in the straight before being run down on the line. ZEE HOUTEN came from four back on the markers to pick up third.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.1 Last Half: - 59.6 Margins: - Head, 2m
BLACKBOOKER: - Astral Stride
Trial 5: - THE LOCOMOTIVE continued his handy trial form with a runaway victory over the pacers. He was without cover and in the second half of the field early before progressing forward to find the lead at the 1400m. He hasn’t raced since a second in the Breeders Crown in November but is shaping up nicely. SILKY SMOOTH EXCUSE finished second after leading out then taking cover with ALTA BAYAMO being third across the line after ending up being three back on the inside.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.0 Last Half: - 58.1 Margins: - 10m, 15m
BALLARAT 21/05/24
Trial 2: - BELLE NEIGE continues to impress at the trials and was able to win the trial comfortably. She trailed the leader RINGER WELLS, came to the outside in the home straight and cruised to the post to win comfortably. She hasn’t raced since a memorable win at Charlton in August 2023.
Mile Rate: - 2.4.2 Last Half: - 59.4 Margin: - 12m
