Craig Rail is expecting a good showing from Community Art at Swan Hill this weekend after an encouraging performance at the Bendigo trials this week.
“Community Art hasn’t started since February and has joined trainer Alex Ashwood. He began quickly to find the lead and ran along at a genuine tempo. He never appeared to be in any danger of defeat and recorded handy time so he should go very well at Swan Hill on Sunday,” Rail wrote.
Community Art was joined as a Trial File black book entry this week by The Last Trip for trainer Vince Vallelonga.
TRIAL REPORT
BACCHUS MARSH 28/12/24
Trial 1: - HEZA GUN is a handy trotter for the Chris Lang and Sonia Mahar combination and was able to record good time in taking out the opening trial. He defeated OUR SAFARI SUN, which is backing up at Shepparton on Tuesday night, with DESERT ASSASSIN being a further eight metres away in third position. ROCKY VALLEY is a handy type for trainer Ian Caruana and he finished in fourth.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.7 Last Half: - 60.9 Margins: - 4m, 8m
Trial 2: - MIGHTY BLING is an unraced young pacer for trainer Vince Dicocco and was able to record a narrow victory in the second event. He defeated the handy performer WAZZA with QUICK CRUNCH being a further eight metres away in third position. ROCKNALONG is a stable mate of the winner and finished in fourth but wasn’t far away from the third placed QUICK CRUNCH.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.3 Last Half: - 59.7 Margins: - ½ head, 8m
Trial 3: - QUEEN ELIDA NZ has returned from her Inter Dominion campaign, where she finished fifth in the Final and she prepared for her effort in the Group 1 Maori Mile on Saturday night with a comfortable trial victory in reasonable time. HARRY STAMPER NZ finished in second and was well ahead of EBONYS AVENGER in the run to the finish. Both HARRY STAMPER NZ and EBONYS AVENGER will also be competing in the Maori Mile at Bendigo.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.7 Last Half: - 58.5 Margins: - 5m, 10m
Trial 4: - PRECIOUS BELLE NZ is a speedy mare for trainer Taylor Ford and was able to win the fourth event in easy fashion. She defeated JUST MIKI, which is competing at Maryborough this afternoon, with EARS THE BOSS being four metres away in third position. There was a fast tempo set in the early stages and there was quite a margin between first and last in a field of seven runners for the NR40-52 assessed pacers.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.8 Last Half: - 60.0 Margins: - 5m, 4m
Trial 5: MINOS NZ hasn’t raced since finishing third in the Queensland Derby during the Winter Carnival and has joined trainer Jodi Quinlan. He prepared for his effort a Melton on Thursday night with a slashing trial victory over ROCKNROLL WALLA in fast time. He recorded a slick last half of 57.0 seconds and it was a mile rate of 1.58.2, which is a very good run on the Bacchus Marsh circuit. He finished third behind Tango Tara in a blistering mile rate of 1.51.5 on Thursday night. ROCKNROLL WALLA has been sparkling form and used the trial as a stepping stone for his performance in the Bendigo Cup on Saturday night. HITTHEROADJACK NZ finished a distant third and is backing up at Melton tonight with KHANS CREED being last of the four runners across the line.
Mile Rate: - 1.58.2 Last Half: - 57.0 Margins: - 4m, 12m
Trial 6: - VOLSTEADSDELIGHT was able to take out the final trial for the younger trotters for trainer Mario Magri. DESERT ROYALE finished in second and was well clear of SHE DRIVES ME with FARSTAR being last of the four runners to cross the line.
Mile Rate: - 2.11.1 Last Half: - 66.6 Margins: - 4m, 30m
BENDIGO 30/12/24
Trial 1: - It was only a field of two for the standing start trotting trial with the Alex Ashwood prepared MIDNIGHT EAGLE leading throughout. SPANISH RIZARDO sat in the trail, came to the outside on the home turn but broke stride and lost her chance.
Mile Rate: - 2.4.3 Last Half: - 61.0 Margin: - 50m
Trial 2: - SUNDONS COURAGE prepared for his effort at Bendigo on Saturday night with a good victory. He was able to lead throughout and defeated EBONYS AVENGER, which was backing up quickly from her trial effort at Bacchus Marsh on the Saturday, and settled three back on the markers before finishing off fast. She is competing in the Maori Mile at Bendigo on Saturday night. QUAKE PROOF settled four back on the markers and moved to the outside at the 700m mark to gain the one out and one back trail. He finished off solidly for a game third. SUNSUP came from last of the seven runners to pick up fourth position so it was quite a nice trial effort and he is backing up at Bendigo on Saturday night.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.6 Last Half: - 57.4 Margins: - 1m, 3m
Trial 3: - RYMES is a very smart horse when he is able to put it altogether and won his trial comfortably. He was caught wide early, progressed forward to race without cover, angled in behind the leader at the 1100m then made his winning move from the 500m mark. CASTLES IN THE SKY began quickly to lead, copped some pressure from RYMES early and battled on well for second. WILL PATRICK trailed the leader early, ended up being three back on the markers at the 1400m and finished in third with MAORI DUCHESS (5 back markers) being the fourth horse across the line. WILL PATRICK is competing at Maryborough this afternoon.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.6 Last Half: - 63.6 Margins: - 6m, 1m
Trial 4: - STARTLING trailed the leader throughout and came to the outside with 300m remaining. She finished off well and claimed victory on the line. MAORI TATTOO finished in second position after setting the speed and the Brent Lilley trained pair were a long way clear of ENGAGE, which settled four back on the markers and was able to work past ANGOVE. ANGOVE will be backing up at Shepparton on Tuesday night. QUIRKY CHARACTER was the last horse home but he galloped away and gave away a big start so he did well to finish as close as he did.
Mile Rate: - 2.7.4 Last Half: - 61.0 Margins: - Nose, 50m
Trial 5: - HURRICANE HUGO began well and was without cover early before angling in behind the leader turning into the back straight. He came to the outside with 500m remaining and finished off solidly to win by a comfortable margin. MY DIAMOND finished in second after setting up a slow tempo in the leading role and MYLA GIRL finished in third after settling three back on the markers and waiting for the sprint lane run. MYLA GIRL will be racing at Cobram on Sunday afternoon.
Mile Rate: - 2.7.6 Last Half: - 58.8 Margins: - 5m, Head
Trial 6: - MALAVA MISS trailed the leader and came to the outside with 600m remaining. It took her the length of the straight to get the better of the early leader KIDWITHAGRIN but she was able to get up on the line. TASTE IT finished a distant third after settling four back on the markers with MY ULTIMATE RUSTY (3 back markers) being last of the four runners across the line.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.0 Last Half: - 60.2 Margins: - 1m, 18m
Trial 7: - THE LAST TRIP was a very impressive winner of the seventh event. He showed good gate speed and pushed forward to find the lead shortly after the start. He dashed home in a slick final quarter of 28.0 seconds and looked to have more in reserve across the line. IM ALL BUSINESS backed up his good trial effort a week earlier with a nice second after he led out then took cover. He finished off in good final sectionals and appears to be hard to beat at Swan Hill on Sunday. WICKED ONE finished in a distant third after settling three back on the markers and hanging out very badly in the final 300m.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.0 Last Half: - 56.4 Margins: - 8m, 50m
BLACKBOOKER: - The Last Trip
Trial 8: - COMMUNITY ART hasn’t started since February and has joined trainer Alex Ashwood. He began quickly to find the lead and ran along at a genuine tempo. He never appeared to be in any danger of defeat and recorded handy time so he should go very well at Swan Hill on Sunday. DO IT finished in second and chased hard from behind the leader. He finished fifty metres clear of the third placed BARBS BLUE CHIP, which settled four back on the markers in the early stages.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.4 Last Half: - 57.7 Margins: - 2m, 50m
BLACKBOOKER: - Community Art
Trial 9: - CENTURION DREAM settled four back on the markers and came out three horses wide on the home turn. She finished off solidly and was able to gun down the tearaway leader TUBS NOW SLIM to get up on the line. TUBS NOW SLIM found the front but wanted to pull hard in the early stages and established a good lead. He became leg weary at the end but was only beaten on the line. KAMARAN finished third after being five back on the markers and coming to the outside at the 1200m mark.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.6 Last Half: - 62.8 Margins: - Head, 7m
Trial 10: - HARRYHOO appeared to bounce back to his best form with a convincing win in the final trial. He settled three back on the inside, moved off the markers with 300m remaining and sprinted quickly to score by a big margin. He is backing up at Bendigo on Saturday night. DON ARTHUR settled four back on the markers, came to the outside at the quarter pole and finished off well for second. BELLA DANZA began quickly to find the lead and finished third ahead of LOVE WATCH (trailed leader), which is backing up at Swan Hill on Sunday.
Mile Rate: - 1.58.8 Last Half: - 56.6 Margins: - 10m, 3m
