While top trainer Chris Svanosio is preparing for a Great Southern Star tilt with one Phoenix, he’d be very excited by the progression of another Phoenix in his Romsey barn.
Group 1 winner Arcee Phoenix is well fancied in tomorrow night’s GSS at Melton and stablemate Hephaestus Phoenix appears destined for some imminent success after an impressive trial at Melton this week.
Harness Racing Victoria form guru Craig Rail quickly added the Love You gelding to his Blackbook after he “began quickly from the standing start and dominated his rivals”.
Other Blackbook-worthy trial performers this week were Derek The Jet for Nathan Jack and Best Deal for Emma Stewart.
TRIAL REPORT
STAWELL 26/01/24
Trial 1: - ALIENFROMARMSTRONG has been unplaced in all of his five starts to date but the son of Goodtime Sammy was able to win his trial by a very large margin and is travelling up to Mildura on Tuesday night, where he should be competitive. A BIT CHILLED is a 3yo trotting filly by Skyvalley out of the handy mare Enjoy A Champers (2.6.1, $27,029) for trainer Peter Manning and finished in second leading up to her debut performance at Charlton on Monday. She was well ahead of LOOKAT SPUNKY TROT and ZERO DOUBT.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.8 Last Half: - 61.2 Margins: - 39m, 48m
Trial 2: - EMJAYBEE hasn’t raced since finishing second at Swan Hill in early December. She was able to take out the trial by a comfortable margin over KIDD ALTRO, which was stood down to trial after galloping at his latest performance. TACTICS ARE ROLLIN has recently joined trainer Paul Rousch and finished in third ahead of STRAIGHT UP. EMJAYBEE, TACTICS ARE ROLLIN and STRAIGHT UP are all competing at Hamilton this afternoon and KIDD ALTRO will be racing at Charlton on Monday.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.8 Last Half: - 60.6 Margins: - 9m, 2m
BACCHUS MARSH 27/01/24
Trial 2: - SLEEPEE has broken stride at her past couple of outings but was able to gain some confidence leading into the Great Southern Star series with a trial success in fast time against the pacers. She was able to defeat KHANS CREEED and MORVAH, both of which have been race winners recently. MORVAH has joined trainer Ash Warton since his latest performance.
Mile Rate: - 1.59.6 Last Half: - 59.0 Margins: - 10m, 12m
Trial 3: - HEY GOYOUGOODTHING NZ was stood down to trial after breaking stride shortly after the start over the 1200m at Melton last time out. He was successful in his trial by fifteen metres in a dominant display over LYNNES SPECIAL, which has only had the two starts to date. IM ROWDY finished in third position ahead of TINMAN, which hasn’t raced since January 2023. HEY GOYOUGOODTHING will be competing at Bendigo this evening.
Mile Rate: - 2.5.0 Last Half: - 60.7 Margins: - 15m, 4m
Trial 7: - RUBY WINGATE finished second at her latest attempt at Geelong but she made several errors and was stood down to trial. She is a classy mare that has won in excess of $130,000 in Stakes and was able to bounce back quickly at the trials to record a victory to re-qualify. She is competing at Bendigo this evening. TRINITYS DELIGHT was also stood down to trial after failing to finish at Warragul at her latest attempt back in early December. She finished in second ahead of VALIENTE with EL BOSTON being last of the four runners to cross the line. EL BOSTON is backing up at Charlton on Monday.
Mile Rate: - 2.6.7 Last Half: - 58.9 Margins: - 5m, 2m
Trial 8: - BETTES BLUE VIOLET is an unraced filly for trainer Tim McGuigan. She is by Heston Blue Chip out of Artoripace (1.58.7, $53,802) and is the foal. She was able to score by a large margin in a trial, where all the pace was obviously generated early with a very slow last half of 64.5 seconds but a reasonable mile rate of 2.4.6 was posted. CHANGE OF PLANS has only had four starts since 2020 and finished in second position ahead of TURN IT OVER, which is an unraced gelding by Changeover out of Starting Over (2.5.3, $4,525), a mare by Falcon Seelster that has produced the two winners in Johnnyace (2.0.1, $78,758) and Johnnyart (2.0.3, $30,269).
Mile Rate: - 2.4.6 Last Half: - 64.5 Margins: - 15m, 4m
SHEPPARTON 30/01/24
Trial 1: - DIAMOND ECLIPSE worked hard to get around stable mate KIA ORA BEAUTY to find the lead then set up a genuine tempo. He remained strong at the finish and was able to win by a comfortable margin. VINSANITY settled three back on the markers and moved through to trail the leader with 500m remaining when KIA ORA BEAUTY left the trail to move up without cover. He finished second with SPECTA (4 back markers), following inside runs all of the way and finishing in third position. KIA ORA BEAUTY ended up finishing in fourth.
Mile Rate: - 1.58.8 Last Half: - 58.0 Margins: - 5m, 1m
Trial 3: - DEREK THE JET is a colt by Volstead out of the classy mare Cyclone Jeter (1.58.4, $74,874). He took on two trotters with a National Rating of 80 and beat them both without being pushed. The time was slow but he looks to have plenty of ability. He trailed the leader LETTUCE TROT and was able to get up and win by a neck with CRACKER JET being last of the three runners throughout but was just a metre away in third position.
Mile Rate: - 2.12.0 Last Half: - 60.5 Margins: - Neck, 1m
BLACKBOOKER: - Derek The Jet
MELTON ENTERTAINMENT PARK 30/01/24
Trial 1: - HEPHAESTUS PHOENIX began quickly from the standing start and dominated his rivals. He dashed home in a slick last quarter of 28.22 seconds and scored clearly over MAESTRO, which settled three back on the markers and made a move from the 600m mark. HIGHPOINT put in a tidy display to make up ground from five back on the markers in fast final sectionals to pick up third position.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.2 Last half: - 58.3 Margins: - 10.5m, 4.5m
BLACKBOOKER: - Hephaestus Phoenix
Trial 2: - COMMODUS continued his very good trial form and blitzed his rivals in the second event. He is now being prepared by owner Jayne Davies and led throughout to win by a big margin. ATM ACCOUNT is an unraced 3yo trotter for the Anthony Butt and Sonya Smith training combination. She settled behind the leader early, ended up being three back on the inside and finished off well via the passing lane. She is by Centurion ATM out of My Account (1.59.3, $46,059), making her a half sister to the recent winner Highpoint, which went around in the opening trial. KYVALLEY MARIACHI (3 back pegs) and EZRA KAI (4 back pegs) where third and fourth respectively.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.6 Last Half: - 59.14 Margins: - 17.5m, 3.5m
Trial 3: - IS THAT A BID hasn’t started for nearly a year and continued his good trial form leading up to his comeback run. He was able to lead throughout and win the trial clearly from BUSLIN BRODY, which sat in the trail for the duration. The pace was solid throughout and the leading pair were able to open up a big margin over their rivals with over sixty metres to HES THEMIGHTYSPIN at the end. HES THE MIGHTYSPIN did gallop early but was able to pick up MY MATE YANKEE (4 back markers) and CITY NIGHTS (3 back markers, broke stride at 800m) in the last lap.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.5 Last Half: - 60.4 Margins: - 5.5m, 60.5m
Trial 5: - BEST DEAL is an unraced 3yo pacer by American Ideal out of former top mare Starburst Girl (1.53.6, $143,670), which has produced Star Rocker (2.0.5) and Star Burst Boy (2.1.8). He settled five back on the inside, moved into the running lane (1-2) and was last on the home turn before producing a huge finishing burst to get up and claim victory on the line. KING REPELLERE is also an unraced 3yo for the Emma Stewart stable and he is by champion sire Bettors Delight out of the former top South Australian mare Repelem (1.52.9, $266,346). She has produced the three classy performers in Revolt (1.55.6, $51,570), Joanna (1.53.8, $332,003) and Repelling (1.53.8, $48,348). KING REPELLERE was four back on the markers, moved into the one out and one back trail at the quarter pole and came out three horses wide on the home turn. He ran home well but not as fast as his stable mate. The early leader SOHO GOTCHA finished in third ahead of SOHO UNDERTAKER, which trailed the leader throughout.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.6 Last Half: - 56.61 Margins: - Nose, 1.5m
BLACKBOOKER: - Best Deal
Trial 6: - SOHO AMERICANO backed up her Maryborough trial success with another impressive display. She led out, took cover behind SOHO PINA COLADA with a lap remaining then pounced at the 500m mark, racing clear to win by nearly thirty metres. SOHO MARGARITA, a filly by Soho Tribeca, settled four back on the markers and worked into second. SASSYS BOY (American Ideal) was behind the leader early then ended up being three back on the markers before making a move approaching the home turn. He broke stride momentarily at the 300m mark but was able to get past SOHO PINA COLADA in the straight to pick up third position.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.5 Last Half: - 59.36 Margins: - 29m, 1.5m
Trial 7: - INDELIBLE hasn’t raced since winning at Launceston back in October 2021! She has joined trainer Clayton Tonkin and struck instant success at the trials by leading throughout and defeating PERPETUITY, which hasn’t started since being unplaced in the Bathurst Gold Tiara Final (won her heat) in March. She trailed the leader and just failed by a short half head. MAJESTUOSO prepared for his first up performance in the Great Southern Star at Melton tomorrow with a creditable third. He was without cover early, ended up being three back on the markers in the back straight on the final occasion and went to the line just behind the winner without being extended at any stage.
Mile Rate: - 1.58.5 Last Half: - 57.49 Margins: - Short ½ Head, 4.5m
Trial 9: - ROCK N ROLL DOO NZ produced an outstanding front running performance to win the trial by a large margin. He established a big lead in the early stages and was impossible to catch considering he rolled out a last half of 54.55 seconds and a final sectional of 26.83! The champion mare LADIES IN RED settled down last of the four runners and came to the outside with 700m remaining. She was able to stretch out and beat her other two rivals BLITZERN (3 back pegs) and SOHO SERAPHINE (behind leader) by a comfortable margin, running home in very slick sectional times in the process.
Mile Rate: - 1.52.4 Last Half: - 54.55 Margins: - 31m, 17m
