Harness Racing form guru Craig Rail noticed several standout performers at the recent trials.
At Cobram, Smarty Bart showed good acceleration late to land the prize.
At Melton, Catch The Captain commenced his career on a positive note with an all-the-way victory in his trial performance.
Also at Melton, Mister Americano settled three back on the markers, switched into the sprint lane in the home straight and finished off strongly with fast final sectionals to win impressively.
KILMORE 08/10/26
Trial 2: – GENERAL ROCKER began quickly and was without cover early before finding the lead. He backed off the tempo mid-race and finished off in a handy last quarter of 28.7 seconds to get the prize. FULL CRUNCH AHEAD was three horses wide early, angled into the one out and one back trail then was left without cover from the 1300m. He battled on well for a game second and is competing at Shepparton on Tuesday night. OUR ULTIMATE LOIS is a former South Australian pacer, which has recently joined trainer Paul Tonkin. She settled four back on the markers, was held up for a run at a vital stage and finished off swiftly for a game third. She was unplaced at Shepparton on Tuesday night and will be backing up on that track again on Tuesday. UNETHICAL led out then took cover and finished in fourth position.
Mile Rate: – 1.59.5 Last Half: – 59.1 Margins: – ½ Neck, 8m
Trial 3: – CHRISTMAS BABE NZ began quickly to find the lead, ran along at an even tempo and held off her rivals to win the trial. She is racing at Shepparton on Tuesday night. OUR ARNOLD settled three back on the inside, trailed the leader from the 800m mark and finished in second. OMNIA produced the performance of the trial to finish in third. She was wide early, eventually got in behind the leader at the 1200m and broke stride with just short of a lap remaining. She lost approximately forty metres and made up a lot of ground in the final quarter. ALWAYS SKYE HIGH was without cover for the majority of the trial and was a bit wider on the track approaching the home turn. He battled on fairly well for a close up fourth and is scheduled to compete at Shepparton on Tuesday night.
Mile Rate: – 2.2.7 Last Half: – 61.9 Margins: – 3.5m, 1m
Trial 4: – MADAM SASS began quickly to find the lead early, took cover and made a decisive move from the quarter pole. She dashed to a clear winning margin at the end. SASSY GABBY settled six back on the markers, moved up without cover at the 800m and sustained a good run to finish in second. She is competing at Shepparton on Tuesday night. THREE SIX THREE began quickly and was able to work past MADAM SASS going around the first corner to find the front. He set up an even tempo and was run down over the latter stages. AMERICAN GRANGE was three back on the markers for the majority of the trial and finished in fourth.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.0 Last Half: – 59.1 Margins: – 5m, 1.5m
COBRAM 08/10/26
Trial 1: – SMARTY BART led out then took cover around the first turn. He came to the outside around the final corner and showed good acceleration at the end to land the prize. Considering he was an unraced 3yo at the time of the trial and he ran past the two times winning pacer AUSSIE JAY MAC NZ, it was a very good performance. Unfortunately, he made an error when on debut at Shepparton on Tuesday night and finished unplaced but he does have the ability to win races. AUSSIE JAY MAC NZ set up a genuine tempo in the lead and finished in second. He backed up at Swan Hill one week later and led throughout for a victory in a mile rate of 1.57.3. MARYS WATCHING settled last of the three runners and couldn’t keep in touch with the leading pair in fast time.
Mile Rate: – 1.56.5 Last Half: – 56.7 Margins: – 4m, 200m
BLACKBOOKER: – Smarty Bart
Trial 3: – MY MATE ACE began quickly from a wide draw to find the lead shortly after the start. He backed off the tempo mid-race and ran a slick last half of 57.6 seconds to win clearly. He backed up at Kilmore on Wednesday night and was able to win again. LOCKSLEY CAVALIER settled three back on the markers, moved to the outside at the 600m and battled on well for a game second. ITS HYDROMATIC was very slow to move and settled approximately thirty metres behind the leading trio. He ended up being third past the post with the juvenile trotting filly YOUCANGOYOUROWNWAY (3 back markers) dropping out to finish at the tail of the field.
Mile Rate: – 2.1.4 Last Half: – 57.6 Margins: – 3m, 45m
Trial 4: – SABALENKA led out then took cover and enjoyed an economical run. She came to the outside at the 300m and finished off best to win well. It was a good hit-out leading up to her effort in a Semi-Final of the Breeders Challenge at Menangle on Saturday night. MY ROC began quickly and ran to the lead shortly after the start. He set up a steady tempo and was run down over the final stages. He is backing up at Shepparton on Tuesday night. MILLIES BOY was slow to begin and was a clear last early. He came to the outside at the 700m, was forced out three horses wide approaching the home turn and finished off nicely for a close up third. KELLYS COMMOTION settled four back on the markers and finished fourth with COOKIE CRUMBLE (3 back markers) being the last horse across the line.
Mile Rate: – 1.59.8 Last Half: – 58.7 Margins: – Neck, 1.5m
BACCHUS MARSH 10/10/26
Trial 2: – RIDE HIGH CAPTIN has been runner up in three of his past four starts so he has been racing in good form. He was stood down to trial after hanging out badly at his latest performance and was able to re-qualify with a trial victory over COCO CRUNCH, which hasn’t raced since September 2025 but has had six trials this season, all of which have been at Bacchus Marsh. VALLA CHEVAL is an unraced juvenile for trainer John Murphy and finished in third at his fourth trial attempt. The winner RIDE HIGH CAPTIN is racing tonight at Geelong.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.6 Last Half: – 60.5 Margins: – 4m, 8m
Trial 3: – Only two horses contested the open class trial with ATA RANGI defeating BUBBA SCRUB. ATA RANGI was stood down to trial after failing to beat a runner to the line in the Geelong Cup but was able to re-qualify and is competing in a heat of the South Australian Cup at Globe Derby tomorrow night. BUBBA SCRUB NZ was returning from a brief South Australian campaign, where he was unplaced in two attempts at Globe Derby.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.2 Last Half: – 58.4 Margin: – 6m
Trial 5: – STORM VENDETTA has been runner up twice in five starts since returning from Tasmania. He finished eighth in fast time at his latest race track attempt at Cranbourne and delivered a sturdy performance in his trial victory, where he recorded a handy mile rate of 1.59.6 and scored by a comfortable margin. He backed up at Ballarat on Thursday night and delivered a slashing performance to win in a mile rate of 1.54.9. SPRINGFIELD RIVER hadn’t started since June but he finished fourth at a Melton trial attempt four days before finishing second in his Bacchus Marsh trial performance. He then backed up at Swan Hill on Thursday and finished seventh after working hard in the run. JAMALA KHAN was a distant third and finished ahead of THE HEATS ON LEXY, which finished unplaced at Kilmore on Wednesday, and MOONLIGHT KATE.
Mile Rate: – 1.59.6 Last Half: – 58.3 Margins: – 8m, 10m
Trial 6: – FLOATING MOUNTAIN finished fifth at Geelong when last at the race track several weeks ago. He was able to win the final trial by a comfortable margin over OUR TINKA BELLE, which has galloped at her only two starts to date and was stood down to trial at her latest attempt. She is racing at Geelong this evening. UNKNOWN SON was third across the line and finished well ahead of LA QUICK.
Mile Rate: – 2.6.6 Last Half: – 60.5 Margins: – 4m, 12m
MELTON ENTERTAINMENT PARK 13/10/26
Trial 2: – CATCH A BUTTERFLY began quickly from the pole position and held the lead comfortably. She set up a slow tempo and finished off in a quick last quarter of 28.5 seconds to win the trial without being fully extended. SPOOKY MOTH trailed the leader throughout, came to the outside with 100m remaining and was picking up ground over the final stages. LITTLEBYLITTLE was last of the three runners for the duration. He is backing up with his debut performance at Terang on Monday night.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.6 Last Half: – 58.3 Margins: – 3m, 4m
Trial 3: – HAY JET settled last of the three runners and came to the outside at the quarter pole. He worked to the line best and was able to take out the trial by a little under a length. COCONUT MICKEY finished in second after shooting to the lead in the early stages and setting up a slow tempo. MISTER BLINDSIDE finished last of the three runners after trailing the leader but he never peeled to the outside at any stage and he went to the line under a vice like grip. He has recently returned to trainer Geoff Webster and makes his comeback Victorian performance at Cranbourne on Sunday.
Mile Rate: – 2.5.2 Last Half: – 60.1 Margins: – 2m, 2m
Trial 4: – CATCH THE CAPTAIN is the first foal out of the good mare Bettor Coppagoodone (1.54.5, $103,651) and the second dam Coppagoodone has produced the outstanding performers Catch A Wave (1.48.8, $2,313,560) and Yambukian (1.50.9, $302,959). He is bred to be a very good horse and commenced his career on a positive note with an all of the way victory in his trial performance. GENERAL DAN raced without cover early, restrained to be four back on the markers and moved up without cover again at the 600m mark. He battled on courageously for second. NUDOORA trailed the leader and came to the outside on the home turn. He finished in third and DIMITRI (3 back markers) was the last horse across the line after being out of position at the start by approximately twenty metres.
Mile Rate: – 2.1.3 Last Half: – 56.6 Margins: – 3m, 5m
BLACKBOOKER: – Catch The Captain
Trial 5: – DESERT VIPER trailed the leader early, moved up without cover at the 1400m and remained in the breeze for the remainder of the journey. He was able to grind out a victory, reaching the front right on the line. WHITERING finished in second after setting up a slow tempo and BIRMINGHAM GIRL was last of the trio throughout. The three horses will be competing against each other again at Cranbourne on Sunday.
Mile Rate: – 2.7.9 Last Half: – 60.1 Margins: – Nose, 10m
Trial 6: – STORMS trailed the leader in the early stages and moved up without cover from the 800m mark. He hit the lead with 500m remaining and kicked on strongly in the run to the finish to score by a narrow margin. SOMEONE SPECIAL settled four back on the markers, moved into the one out and one back trail with a half mile remaining and tried hard in the run to the finish. HILLTOP STAR raced without cover early and progressed forward to find the lead shortly after the start. She was gunned down in the run to the line but finished a close up third in a good finish. OOH AH LISTAH settled last of the six runners, moved into the running lane (1-2) with 700m remaining and worked to the line reasonably well for fourth.
Mile Rate: – 2.3.4 Last Half: – 56.8 Margins: – 2m, head
Trial 8: – MISTER AMERICANO settled three back on the markers, switched into the sprint lane in the home straight and finished off strongly in fast final sectionals to win impressively. He should go well at Cranbourne on Sunday night. SOME MAGIC began quickly to find the lead and backed off the tempo mid-race. He finished off in a slick last half of 55.3 seconds but was claimed on the post and had to be content with second place. RAKAROMPA NZ began quickly to trail the leader, came to the outside at the 300m mark and tried hard for a close up third. HILLTOP BLOSSOM was last of the quartet throughout.
Mile Rate: – 2.0.8 Last Half: – 55.3 Margins: – 1m, 1m
BLACKBOOKER: – Mister Americano
