Craig Rail was impressed by unraced New Zealand bred pacer Aussie Jay Mac after his trial at Cobram.
Rail noticed the dazzling last half of Sao Paulo Simba at Maryborough.
Rail also added Monsieur Meilland and Golden Tribe to his file this week.
TRIAL REPORT 301
COBRAM 23/01/25
Trial 1: – NEW YORKER trailed the leader and moved to the outside with 300m remaining. He finished off best to get the prize in fast time. JACKS ULTIMATE FURY NZ began quickly and set up a genuine tempo throughout. He kicked on strongly and was beaten right on the line. He is due to race at Wagga this afternoon. ITS CONFIDENTIAL settled last of the five runners, waited for the sprint lane and finished off well for third. DAY TWO was four back on the inside and angled out three horses wide on the home turn. He finished off reasonably well for fourth placing.
Mile Rate: – 1.57.6 Last Half: – 56.8 Margins: – Head, 2m
Trial 2: – AUSSIE JAY MAC NZ is a New Zealand bred pacer for trainer Adam Rudd, which is currently unraced. He settled four back on the outside, commenced a forward move at the 500m mark and ran home strongly in a last quarter of 28.9 seconds to win well. He is drawn on the pole position at Shepparton on Tuesday and should prove hard to beat. TURBO JAY finished second after setting the speed and CORAL CAYS was third past the post after trailing the leader throughout. CORAL CAYS will be making her debut at Shepparton on Tuesday night.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.4 Last Half: – 60.5 Margins: – 1m, 8m
BLACKBOOKER: – Aussie Jay Mac
Trial 3: – MONSIEUR MEILLAND hasn’t raced since January 2024 and has returned to Victoria after a brief Tasmanian campaign. He was three back on the markers, angled wide on the home turn and finished off fast in slick final sectionals to get the prize. He should prove hard to beat at Shepparton on Tuesday night. MISTER THREEOFIVE came from last of the four runners to pick up second position and CAPTAIN CHEDDAR was third after setting the speed. CAPTAIN CHEDDAR will be competing at Wagga this afternoon.
Mile Rate: – 1.59.4 Last Half: – 58.0 Margins: – 1m, 6m
BLACKBOOKER: – Monsieur Meilland
Trial 4: – SAVOY BALLROOM settled last of the five runners, moved up without cover at the bell and was quickly able to scoot to the lead with 700m remaining. He sustained the run and was able to score by a big margin. He struck trouble and lost his chance at Kilmore on Thursday. LOOK AWAY was three back on the markers, came off the inside at the 400m mark and finished off reasonably well for second. BERYLS BOOTS settled four back on the inside, moved into the one out and one back trail at the bell and was left without cover when SAVOY BALLROOM drew to the lead. He only finished a head behind LOOK AWAY at the finish.
Mile Rate: – 2.5.5 Last Half: – 57.3 Margins: – 25m, head
STAWELL 24/01/25
Trial 1: – CURYO GENTLEMAN hasn’t raced since coming to grief at Ballarat in June. He is a smart pacer when at his peak form having won six of his twenty starts and he boasts a career best mile rate of 1.54.8. He was able to win the trial over SWIZZLESTICK, which hasn’t raced since a third at Horsham back in August. NEATNTIDY was third across the line and TIC TACT finished in fourth. The winner CURYO GENTLEMAN returns from a spell at Charlton this afternoon.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.2 Last Quarter: – 27.9 Margins: – Unavailable
Trial 2: – WILD IDEAL is a 4yo mare for trainer Aaron Dunn, which suffered from Atrial Fibrillation at her latest attempt and was stood down to trial. She was able to win the trial from the speedy mare MUCKINBAR DIVA, which is returning to Victoria after having an extensive New South Wales campaign. JAZSPUR is a bold front running trotter, which finished third in the Tornado Valley Trot back in December. She finished third with MASON DIXON LINE being last of the four runners across the line. The winner WILD IDEAL will be competing at Charlton this afternoon.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.2 Last Quarter: – 29.1 Margins: – Unavailable
BACCHUS MARSH 25/01/25
Trial 1: – LIVELY RASCAL has only had two starts and his latest attempt was an eighth at Geelong back in January 2024. He was able to win the opening trial by a comfortable margin from JAMALA KHAN, which made his debut at Kilmore on Thursday night and finished ninth behind Crayons To Perfume. ZU HOFFEN was a distant third ahead of ILEANA.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.7 Last Half: – 58.7 Margins: – 5m, 12m
Trial 3: – SCHERGER THAT is a smart 3yo pacer, which won at Bendigo in May and hasn’t started since finishing unplaced in a semi-final of the Super Series at Melton in September. He recorded slick time in his narrow victory over CALEDONIAN RANGER, which hasn’t been to the races since November but is returning at Geelong this evening. OUR BELLA LUCIA finished a close up third and backed up with a victory at Kilmore on Thursday night while KHANS CREED was last of the four runners to cross the line. KHANS CREED backed up with a fifth placed effort at Kilmore on Thursday night.
Mile Rate: – 1.58.4 Last Half: – 57.7 Margins: – ½ head, 1.5m
MARYBOROUGH 26/01/25
Trial 1: – ROCKNROLL DOO NZ was clearly the class runner of the trial and was able to dominant his two rivals from the front running role. He recorded a very slick mile rate of 1.54.0 and scored by a big margin. The win will give him some confidence leading up to his performance in the Pure Steel at Melton tomorrow night. PAS GUARANTEE finished in second after trailing the leader throughout and DIEING ART was last for the duration. DIEING ART will be backing up at Shepparton on Tuesday night.
Mile Rate: – 1.54.0 Last Half: – 54.8 Margins: – 12m, 15m
Trial 3: – SOHO PINA COLADA hasn’t raced since a debut effort at Bendigo back in August but she was able to win her trial over STARTIN TO GOGH and SOHO MAYWEATHER in a trial where trainer Michael Stanley prepared each of the three runners. SOHO PINA COLADA trailed the leader STARTIN TO GOGH, came to the outside at the 500m and was able to claim victory on the line. SOHO MAYWEATHER was last of the trio for the duration.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.6 Last Half: – 58.2 Margins: – Head, 50m
Trial 4: – SAO PAULO SIMBA has only had two starts and was able to win impressively at his debut. He settled three back on the inside, moved off the pegs in the back straight and was quickly able to hit the front. He dashed clear at the end to win by a good margin and recorded a sizzling final half. ADMIRALOFTHEFLEET finished in second after trailing the leader throughout and the early leader BONAVISTA BOY was the third horse across the line. The second placed ADMIRALOFTHEFLEET will be resuming from a spell at Geelong this evening.
Mile Rate: – 2.1.4 Last Half: – 54.8 Margins: – 10m, 3m
BLACKBOOKER: – Sao Paulo Simba
Trial 5: – MAXO MIGHTY began very quickly to find the lead and was always in control of the trial. He maintained his very good trial form and appears to have a promising future. SOHO MAJESTIC also appears to have ability and ran a nice trial for second. He trailed the leader throughout and went to the line under his own steam. SOHO PARK AVENUE finished in third after settling three back on the markers and moving to the outside with 400m remaining.
Mile Rate: – 2.6.0 Last Half: – 57.6 Margins: – 5m, 8m
CRANBOURNE 26/01/25
Trial 1: – ILLAWONG DANNY began quickly and was a clear leader around the first corner. He set up a slow tempo in the early stages before kicking clear in the back straight and holding off the late challenge of CAPTAIN BELLASARIO to land the prize. He is resuming at Geelong this evening. CAPTAIN BELLASARIO commenced from the second line and settled last of the five runners. He gained a one out and one back trail in the back straight and angled out wide on the home turn before unleashing a powerful finishing burst. OCEANIQUE settled three back on the inside and finished a distant third ahead of THE ULTIMAT COWBOY, which trailed the leader throughout and attempted a run from the quarter pole.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.2 Last Half: – 58.7 Margins: – 2m, 10.5m
TERANG 28/01/25
Trial 2: – JILLIBY DREAMLOVER is an unraced filly by Love You and was able to defeat her stable mates KEAYANG YOSHIKATSI (Jilliby Kung Fu) and JILLIBY JUSTIFY (Rock N Roll Heaven). JILLIBY DREAMLOVER is out of the handy mare Jewel In The Crown (1.57.8, $76,800) and is the first foal. She won the trial by a narrow margin but did a good job for a young trotter that was taking on the pacers.
Mile Rate: – 2.7.8 Last Half: – 60.3 Margins: – 1m, 1m
Trial 3: – SPIRIT OF PEARL is a speedy mare that boasts four victories and hasn’t raced since finishing unplaced at Melton in August. She was able to take out the final trial from KEAYANG TACO, which is a lightly raced gelding that has won two of his four starts to date. The outstanding trotter KEAYANG CHUCKY finished a close up third for his final hit-out before the Great Southern Star at Melton tomorrow night. KEAYANG GALLIANO hasn’t raced since May and was the fourth horse across the line in what was a strong trial.
Mile Rate: – 2.1.6 Last Half: – 58.5 Margins: – 1.5m, 1.5m
MELTON ENTERTAINMENT PARK 28/01/25
Trial 2: – COASTAL DRIVE was out of position at the start and was a clear last early. He pushed through to be four back on the markers before dashing around the field to park without cover at the bell. He hit the front at the 500m mark and established a big lead, remaining strong at the finish to get the prize. GOLDEN TRIBE settled down last of the seven runners and finished fast out wide on the track for an eye-catching second. MY ULTIMATE SASSY was five back on the markers early, moved into the running lane at the bell (1-2) and worked into third position. BLISSFULL LILLY was fourth across the line after trailing the leader throughout. She backed up Kilmore on Thursday night and will also be racing at Geelong this evening.
Mile Rate: – 1.57.3 Last Half: – 56.57 Margins: – 8.5m, 2m
BLACKBOOKER: – Golden Tribe
Trial 3: – YAMBUKIAN hasn’t raced since being unplaced in the South Australian Pacing Cup in October. He began quickly to lead, ran along at a genuine tempo and was able to win impressively. FUN TO LOVE NZ has been racing well in Tasmania and finished in second after trailing the leader throughout. SKIP TO ME LOU was last of the three runners for the duration.
Mile Rate: – 1.55.4 Last Half: -55.54 Margins: – 15.5m, 16.5m
Trial 4: – NABRINA USA hasn’t raced since April and has joined the Jess Tubbs stable since her latest performance. She began well and trailed the leader MEGABAND NZ before coming to the outside with 300m remaining. She finished off best and was able to win comfortably. MEGABAND NZ is a former New Zealand trotter that is now with Joe Pace. He showed good gate speed to lead and was run down late but beat the remainder of the field by a large margin so it was a good performance. PERPETUAL settled four back on the markers and ran into a distant third.
Mile Rate: – 2.7.8 Last Half: – 61.42 Margins: – 4.5m, 43m
Trial 5: – NEW SHUFFLE continued his good trial form with a success over WHISKEYDRINKINGBILL. He was able to slot into the trail behind the leader, came out three horses wide with 500m remaining and finished off best to snare victory on the line. WHISKEYDRINKINGBILL set up a reasonable tempo in the lead and fought on strongly once challenged. ROCKNROLL ROCKET settled last of the six runners early, moved to fifth at the bell and came away from the inside with 600m remaining. He worked home well for a distant third.
Mile Rate: – 1.58.2 Last Half: – 58.35 Margins: – ½ head, 18.5m
