Harness Racing Victoria form guru Craig Rail noticed some standout runners at recent trials.
At Melton, Out To Stay flashed home impressively and unraced mare Bigbashash ran well ahead of her race debut at Stawell on Monday.
At Mildura, Magic Matty sizzled home to win by a big margin.
BACCHUS MARSH 31/01/26
Trial 1: – BIG RAIN is an unraced 3yo trotter by Cruzado Dela Noche USA, which won over one million dollars in stakes and carried a personal best time of 1.53.6 in the United States. She is out of Safely Sally, which has already produced the very handy performer Sleepee (1.56.1, $327,260). She was able to win the opening trial by a comfortable margin over MISTER HIGH HOPES. MOONLIGHT BILLY is an unraced gelding by What The Hill out of A Pretty Penny and finished in third ahead of FRENCHMARTINI. BIG RAIN and MOONLIGHT BILLY are both making their debut at Bendigo this evening.
Mile Rate: – 2.8.6 Last Half: – 61.4 Margins: – 4m, 30m
Trial 2: – SKIPPYS DELIGHT NZ was beaten by a long way at his first run since coming from Western Australia but he recorded fast time at his trial success. He finished fifth at Ballarat on Thursday night. SHIRALEE finished in second and wasn’t beaten by far. She is backing up at Cranbourne on Sunday night. SHOTINTHEDARK hasn’t raced since a fourth at Bendigo in August and was last of the three horses across the line but wasn’t beaten by far. He backed up with a handy performance at Ballarat on Thursday night, where he finished off quickly for fourth.
Mile Rate: – 1.58.2 Last Half: – 58.4 Margins: – 2m, 4m
Trial 4: – BINALONG BAY has returned from Victoria after a long stint in Tasmania and recently joined trainer Laura Burrell. He recorded reasonable time in defeating YANKEE RAIN, which has been placed once in four starts since resuming from a long break. YANKEE RAIN backed up with an unplaced effort at Ballarat on Thursday night. MOONLIGHT KATE finished a distant third and was safely clear of the others headed by SOFT LANDING but she failed to beat a runner to the line when she competed at Ballarat on Thursday night.
Mile Rate: – 1.59.6 Last Half: – 59.4 Margins: – 2m, 30m
KYABRAM 01/02/26
Trial 2: – LITTLE RAIN CLOUD has been unplaced in all of her eight starts but she was able to build some confidence leading into her effort at Shepparton on Tuesday night by winning the trial. She scored over SPOT THE DEVIL, which hasn’t raced since an unplaced effort back in September but is resuming at Bendigo this evening. ANOTHERORDER hasn’t raced since 2023 but is returning at Sheppaton on Tuesday night and finished in third position ahead of the unraced colt HAZ FU, which is by Jilliby Kung Fu out of Keayang On Fire (1.58.7, $8,853).
Mile Rate: – 2.7.4 Last Half: – 62.4 Margins: – 2m, 30m
Trial 3: – OUR CHEEKY DEVIL is a short course specialist, which boasts a good record over the 1100m. He has had a second and a fourth at his past two Cranbourne attempts and kept his reasonable form going with a victory in the final trial. He is going to have a busy week considering he is racing at Bendigo tonight and is at Shepparton on Tuesday night. He defeated MAHINDI NZ, which has been unplaced in three starts since returning from Queensland. COOL KELDA is an unraced gelding by Well Said and finished in third ahead of UPRIGHT.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.7 Last Half: – 62.9 Margins: – 3m, 20m
BENDIGO 02/02/26
Trial 1: – EVILEYE began quickly and was able to roll to the lead shortly after the start. She set up a reasonable tempo and dashed well clear in the run to the finish to score by a very large margin. BINALONG NIGHT settled three back on the markers and worked into a distant second late. He is competing at Bendigo this evening. BEST BY A MILE was without cover early, restrained to be last of the five runners on the markers and worked into fourth at the 1600m. He was the third horse across the line and finished in front of SIXTO (trailed leader) and COOL STORY, which settled second last on the markers and continuously lost ground in the run.
Mile Rate: – 1.59.6 Last Half: – 58.7 Margins: – 28m, 3m
Trial 4: – MY MAJOR won the trial for the juvenile pacers and was very impressive in the run to the finish. She led and finished off in a slick final quarter of 28.9 seconds. She is by Major Bronski out of the unraced mare Ima Merry Jasper, which has produced two winners including Angel Or Demon (1.56.6), which won ten of her eighteen starts before retiring. CRIPPA finished in second after being three back on the markers and heading into the sprint lane in the straight, finding the line quite nicely. He is by Poster Boy out of Bella Enobrac, which has produced three winners including This Is Bill (1.57.1), Ultimate Vinnie (1.52.5, $239,331) and Barack Enobrac (1.57.0). LEXXINGTON finished in third after trailing the leader and BLINGBLING was last of the quartet to the line after breaking stride at the start and settling four back on the markers.
Mile Rate: – 2.6.0 Last Half: – 59.7 Margins: – 23m, 3m
Trial 5: – SUMTHIN ELSE began quickly and trailed the leader. He came to the outside with 600m remaining and finished off best in a slick final quarter of 27.9 seconds to get the prize. NINEDOLLA TOASTIE began quickly to find the lead and backed off the tempo mid-race. She battled on well and was beaten by a narrow margin. DOT BALL raced without cover early, restrained to be four back on the markers at the 1800m and made her move with 300m remaining. She finished off well for third position. BLOOMING finished in fourth after settling three back on the markers.
Mile Rate: – 2.4.8 Last Half: – 58.3 Margins: – Head, 7m
Trial 6: – USYK began well and ended up being behind the leader. He came to the outside turning for home and sprinted nicely to win very softly. STARZZZ DESTINY began quickly and attempted to lead throughout. He couldn’t repel the challenge of USYK but the last quarter was very quick at 27.3 seconds. TELERN LOFTY settled three back on the markers and finished in third with MISTER JIMARINGLE being last of the quartet throughout in a strong trial.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.4 Last Half: – 58.5 Margins: – 4m, 4m
MELTON ENTERTAINMENT PARK 03/02/26
Trial 1: – NEW SHUFFLE continued his good trial form with an all of the way victory, where he dashed home in a sizzling final quarter of 26.6 seconds. TANGO TARA settled last of the three runners, came to the outside at the quarter pole and did well to finish as close he did. He is taking on the champion pacer Leap To Fame and New Zealand’s best Republican Party in the Kilmore Cup on Saturday night. RUFF NUT trailed the leader and was last of the three runners across the line.
Mile Rate: – 1.58.3 Last Half: – 55.4 Margins: – 1/2Neck, 40m
Trial 3: – EYENEEDTHAT raced without cover early, pushed forward to find the lead at the 1600m and finished off in handy final sectionals to defeat his stable mate OUT TO STAY. OUT TO STAY was five back on the markers early, moved into the one out and one back trail at the bell and came out three horses wide from the 500m. He finished strongly and was an eye-catching second. LIBERTY STAR DUST began quickly to trail the leader early and ended up being three back on the markers. She was able to run into a distant third with PRICILLA coming from last of the seven runners to work into fourth.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.1 Last Half: – 57.2 Margins: – 1/2Neck, 14m
BLACKBOOKER: – Out To Stay
Trial 4: – MCGEE continued his good trial form with a stylish victory. He settled three back on the markers, waited for the sprint lane and finished off fast to snare victory on the line. I AM WILMA began quickly to find the lead and was run down at the end. HILLTOP HUGH trailed the leader, came to the outside on the home turn and battled on well for third. FROSTY GIRL failed to finish after breaking stride at the start.
Mile Rate: – 2.1.5 Last Half: – 58.8 Margins: – Head, 1.25m
Trial 6: – BIGBASHASH is an unraced mare by A Rocknroll Dance out of Little Lyn (1.56.8, $84,390), which has produced Little Louie (1.53.0, $155,377), Jazzy Melea (1.53.9, $42,036) and Eyesealittle (2.0.4, $4,520). She was without cover early, switched to be four back on the markers at the 1800m and moved into the one out and one back trail at the 600m before finishing off best to claim the prize. She is making her debut at Stawell on Monday and appears to be a very good chance. ARE WEASLEY finished in second after settling three back on the markers, moving up without cover at the 600m and hitting the front at the 300m. He is competing at Bendigo this evening. LOTAKEVI finished a distant third after trailing the leader throughout. FINAL PROMISE was three horses wide early, restrained to being six back on the markers and moved into the running lane (1-2) at the 500m. He worked into fourth position over the latter stages.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.3 Last Half: – 58.9 Margins: – 1.25m, 11.25m
BLACKBOOKER: – Bigbashash
MARYBOROUGH 04/02/26
Trial 1: – MISS DOOBEE is an unraced filly by Art Major out of Lucky Ha Ha (1.57.4), making her related to Lollipop (1.58.5, $31,947). She finished off in a slick final quarter of 27.8 seconds to win the opening trial by a comfortable margin. BUBBLE OVER is a daughter of American Ideal and was able to fill second position with SECRET CHANCE being a further six metres away in third. BUBBLE OVER is first emergency at Stawell on Monday afternoon.
Mile Rate: – 1.59.6 Last Half: – 58.5 Margins: – 4m, 6m
Trial 2: – SWIM SUIT is a juvenile gelding by Downbytheseaside out of American Dreamer (1.59.9) and is closely related to the former star filly Amelias Courage (1.51.4, $400,858), Azellias Fame (1.58.1) and American Squared (1.56.1). He was able to defeat his stable mate LOUS MAMBO, which is by Sweet Lou out of Graham’s Legacy (1.55.1, $10,350), with the dam winning two of her three starts and stemming from a strong maternal family with the grandam being Bylonga Art (1.55.2, $69,003) and the third dam being Bylong Bele (1.56.6, $166,671). The two unraced juveniles were able to defeat the two trotters FAR AS POSSIBLE and SWEET MAORI MISS.
Mile Rate: – 2.4.7 Last Half: – 61.6 Margins: – Not available
MILDURA 04/02/26
Trial 1: – SHANERRA STAR NZ hasn’t raced since an unplaced effort at Mildura in May. He was able to lead throughout to win the opening trial in reasonable time. OUR PRINCESS DI settled last of the three runners and was able to work into second position. IM BLINGIN IT trailed the leader, pulled hard then raced roughly in the last lap. He moved to the outside on the home turn and battled over the latter stages. He was last of the trio across the line.
Mile Rate: – 1.59.4 Last Half: – 57.0 Margins: – 9.5m, 1.5m
Trial 2: – MAGIC MATTY began quickly to lead, slowed the tempo mid-race and finished off in a sizzling last half of 56.2 seconds to win by a large margin. NEVS DREAM trailed the leader throughout and finished a distant second. CRUEL MISTRESS was three back on the markers and was beaten by a long way into third. The trotter LADY OF TIAVON broke stride in the score up and was tailed off throughout.
Mile Rate: – 1.59.0 Last Half: – 56.2 Margins: – 22m, 35m
BLACKBOOKER: – Magic Matty
