Harness Racing Victoria form analyst Craig Rail is keen to follow Bearhunta after his huge 72m victory at the Melton Entertainment Park trials.
Rail was impressed with the Glen Davies-trained pacer, who recorded some outstanding sectionals in his dominant performance on Tuesday.
Others to catch Rail’s eye at the trials this week were Rakarompa, Karbine and Kyvalley Judge.
TRIAL REPORT
SHEPPARTON 07/11/24
Trial 1: – GOTTA HAV ME NZ raced without cover in the early stages and progressed forward to find the lead at the 1500m mark. She remained strong at the finish and scored by a comfortable margin, which is a good form pointer for her performance at Wagga this afternoon. WESTERN SONADOR settled last of the six runners, waited for the sprint lane and finished off fast to work into second. He went to the line hard held and seemed to have plenty in reserve. CALAQUENDI began quickly to lead, took cover and battled on fairly well for third. SIRIUS MAJOR was three then four back on the markers and ended up finishing in fourth position.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.0 Last Half: – 59.0 Margins: – 8m, 1m
Trial 2: – BIG BAD OSSIE began quickly to find the lead and dominated his rivals to win by a large margin, recording fast time in an impressive display. TIVOLI settled four back on the markers, came away from the inside at the 300m and ran home stylishly for second. It was a good effort leading into his debut performance at Bendigo on Wednesday night, where he won impressively. SUMMER SCHOOL led out then took cover and peaked late to run a distant third. He backed up at Kilmore on Thursday night with a fifth placed effort behind Altius. LUCIANA settled six back on the markers and picked up a few competitors in the latter stages of the event.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.4 Last Half: – 57.9 Margins: – 30m, 12m
Trial 3: – SKY LINDY raced without cover in the early stages, switched to be four back on the markers at the 1800m and made her winning move from the quarter pole. It was a good effort leading up to her performance in the Breeders Crown at Melton tomorrow night. ANTONOV NZ trailed the leader and used the sprint lane. He worked through nicely to finish a close up second. VIOLET STANFORD was five back on the markers, moved into the one out and one back trail and only peeled to the outside until very late in the event. It was a nice hit-out for her effort in the Breeders Crown Final at Melton tomorrow night. YANKEE LOVER attempted to lead throughout and finished in fourth before being very unlucky at Shepparton on Tuesday night.
Mile Rate: – 2.5.4 Last Half: – 61.4 Margins: – Neck, 1m
BACCHUS MARSH 09/11/24
Trial 1: – RAKAROMPA NZ was formerly prepared by Peter Hunter in New Zealand and has joined trainer Darren Pace. She showed promise in her two New Zealand attempts and commenced her Australian career on a bright note with a victory in the opening trial. She is making her local debut at Cranbourne on Sunday. She defeated HELLO PINTO with GOODTIME FEMME being a close up third.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.2 Last Half: -59.0 Margins: – 6m, Nose
BLACKBOOKER: – Rakarompa NZ
Trial 2: – PROHIBITED GRACE made a mistake under the standing start conditions in the Redwood Classic and lost her chance. She took out the Nutrien Final in April and she gained some confidence leading into the Breeders Crown Final on Saturday night with a trial success by a comfortable margin. APRIL SUN and ALL THAT REMAINS finished second and third respectively and both horses will also being competing in Breeders Crown events at Melton tomorrow evening.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.6 Last Half: – 58.8 Margins: – 3m, 8m
Trial 5: – IM WESLEY hasn’t raced since July but he is a speedy type and produced the fastest time of the day in his trial success. YNOBE DAKOTA is a nicely bred mare, which hasn’t started since May. She has been placed in two of her past four starts and was able to fill second place. FLYING SPARKS was last of the three runners across the line.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.3 Last Half: – 58.3 Margins: – 1.5m, 4m
MARYBOROUGH 10/11/24
Trial 2: – ROBBINMEMATES was slow to begin and was a clear last early. She moved into third position at the 1100m before commencing a run in the back straight on the final occasion. She quickly hit the front at the 600m mark and scored comfortably. She has joined trainer Jason Ainsworth after having a brief stint in Sydney and is making her Victorian return at Charlton on Sunday. SIX NATIONS settled three back on the inside, broke stride at the 1100m and lost twenty metres before recovering and making up good ground for second place. CLAUDY AN GUS was third across the line ahead of SEBASTIANS SECRET, which led and peaked from the 600m mark.
Last Mile: – 2.3.3 Last Half: – 61.2 Margins: – 6m, Head
Trial 3: – MAJOR ANNIE NZ began quickly and was able to lead throughout. She dashed home in a slick final half of 57.2 seconds and scored by a large margin. MUSELET trailed the leader and finished in second position with HOWSWEETTHESOUND being last of the three runners for the duration. The second placed MUSELET is scheduled to compete at Shepparton on Tuesday night.
Mile Rate: – 2.1.7 Last Half: – 57.2 Margins: – 15m, 4m
ARARAT 11/11/24
Trial 1: – METRO ASSASSIN in an unraced gelding, which had two trials at Menangle back in 2022. He is out of the race winning mare Molly Pitcher, which has produced the three winners Ayejayem (1.57.7), The Sportz Star (1.57.2) and Marako Shark (2.0.2) and he won the trial by a large margin. THE QUEEN OF TALK finished in second and will be competing at Charlton on Monday with KEAYANG HOPE being the third horse across the line.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.4 Last quarter: – 28.7 Margins: – 40m, 10m
Trial 2: – PRINCE OF ROCK has been competing at feature race level against the elite trotters so he was clearly the class runner of the trial. He was able to win the trial by a very large margin over PRO HIBITION, which was thirty metres ahead of SUPREME DOLL as the judge called a halt.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.7 Last Half: – Unavailable Margins: – 116m, 30m
BENDIGO 11/11/24
Trial 2: – MYSTIC MOTIVER is an unraced filly by For A Reason out of Mystic Tiffany (2.1.1) and is the first live foal. She settled five back on the markers, moved into the one out and one back trail at the 800m mark and commenced her winning move when turning out of the back straight on the final occasion. She stretched out nicely to gun down the early leader KEISHA with LUVN OSMAN battling on fairly for third after racing without cover throughout. LUVN OSMAN is making his debut at Mildura this afternoon.
Mile Rate: – 2.1.6 Last Half: – 58.4 Margins: – 2m, 12m
Trial 5: – AMALIA PEARL hasn’t raced since a sixth in the Shepparton Oaks in August. She appeared to be very sharp in her trial victory as she led throughout and trounced her rivals at the end. She should prove very hard to beat at Charlton on Monday afternoon. KARBINE has recently joined trainer John Tormey and did very well at the end. He settled three back on the markers and by the time AMALIA PEARL had established a big break on her rivals, he came to the outside before showing a good turn of speed at the end. GIN TONIQUE was third after settling four back on the markers in the early stages of the event.
Mile Rate: – 2.8.6 Last Half: – 61.2 Margins: – 28m, 28m
BLACKBOOKER: – Karbine
Trial 6: – TICTOK produced a big performance to win albeit in slow time. She galloped away and was detached from the pack early before chasing hard to catch the herd. She settled fifth on the pegs mid-race, moved into the running lane (1-2) in the back straight and came out three horses wide from the 400m mark before unleashing a strong finishing burst. She is a smart horse when she is able to put it altogether and will be racing at Charlton on Monday afternoon. AMOUR MATERNAL trailed the leader before coming to the outside with 500m remaining and boxed on fairly well for second with the early leader ESCAPE THE PACE NZ being the third horse across the line. ESCAPE THE PACE NZ will be competing at Geelong this evening. ILLAWONG STARDUST (4 back markers) made late ground along the sprint lane for fourth and FRANKYTHEFRENCHMAN (3 back pegs, 1-1 from 500m) had no clear run in fifth.
Mile Rate: – 2.9.1 Last Half: – 59.7 Margins: – Head, 3m
Trial 7: – THIRD EYE prepared for her effort in the Breeders Crown tomorrow night with an all of the way victory in the final trial. KEAYANG BRANDY is also competing in the Breeders Crown tomorrow night and finished in second after trailing the leader throughout. INSOMNIAC settled three back on the markers and finished in a distant third.
Mile Rate: – 2.5.2 Last Half: – 60.3 Margins: – 2m, 32m
MELTON ENTERTAINMENT PARK 12/11/24
Trial 1: – The two pacers were able to defeat the two trotters in the standing start trial to commence the program. FRANCO PROMACHOS NZ won at his first three attempts in Tasmania and was spelled after a second at Menangle in May. He dashed home in a sizzling final quarter of 26.7 seconds to win the trial over his stable mate JAMES IN CHARGE, which won twice in succession in Tasmania back in July. CHAMPAGNE CHARLEY finished a distant third and was a long way clear of the other trotter in TETRA.
Mile Rate: – 2.2.5 Last Half: – 55.70 Margins: – Head, 25m
Trial 3: – KYVALLEY JUDGE is a colt by Tactical Landing out of the former classy mare Kyvalley Kyrie (1.59.0, $100,251) and is the second foal out of the dam. The first foal is the very handy performer Kyvalley Pierro (1.57.5, $74,740) and KYVALLEY JUDGE won the trial by a decent margin so he is worth following. SHES SKY HIGH finished in second on her way to contesting the Breeders Crown Final at Melton tomorrow night and ALDEBARAN AXL filled third spot. ALDEBARAN AXL will be backing up at Cranbourne on Sunday night.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.9 Last Half: – 58.74 Margins: – 18m, 4m
BLACKBOOKER: – Kyvalley Judge
Trial 5: – AXE AND DEEZ hasn’t raced since an eighth at Cranbourne in July but was able to record reasonable time in his trial victory. WICHITA KANSAS hasn’t raced since a fifth at Melton in June and finished in second position. BLAZING SHANNON was made omitted from the draw after galloping away at Melton on the Saturday night and was able to finish in third ahead of the trotter GEE CEE CALDER. BLAZING SHANNON will be having a busy time and he has been nominated to race at Geelong this evening and also at Shepparton on Tuesday night.
Mile Rate: – 1.58.9 Last Half: – 58.11 Margins: – 2.5m, 2m
Trial 7: – BEARHUNTA was the only 3yo pacer competing in the combined 2&3yo trial but he was very impressive considering he finished off his trial in outstanding final sectionals (54.19, 27.41). He is a gelding by Ultimate Machete out of Czarina Katerina, which was unplaced in her five starts. She has produced five winners including the three $100,000+ earners in Stormont Czar (1.50.8, $372,569), Stormont Star (1.55.4, $167,353) and Bronski Belle (1.51.8, $132,237). BEARHUNTA won his trial by a massive margin of 72m and recorded fast time so he is worth following. MADEMOIZELLE is a nicely bred filly that has only had the one start back in June and PISTOL PEARCE was the third horse to cross the line.
Mile Rate: – 2.1.1 Last Half: – 54.19 Margins: – 72m, ½ head
BLACKBOOKER: – Bearhunta
