Harness Racing form guru Craig Rail noticed several standout performers at the recent trials.
Floating Mountain caught the eye of Rail with a strong finishing effort at a Melton trial and races at this track tonight.
Rail also noted I Am Wilma’s impressive trial win ahead of her return tomorrow night at Melton.
Remus Phoenix has continued his strong trial form with another victory as he builds towards his racetrack return.
MARYBOROUGH 04/05/25
Trial 2: - ROCK N ROLL DOO took the trail behind his stable mate UBETCHA TIGERPIE and waited for the home straight to make his move. He finished off strongly to win by a comfortable margin and he appeared to have plenty left in reserve. UBETCHA TIGERPIE couldn’t repel the challenge of ROCKNROLL DOO in the straight but she did meet a very smart horse on the day.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.9 Last Half: - 57.8 Margin: 1m
Trial 3: - The trotter JAZSPUR was able to defeat the pacers by a comfortable margin. She was out three horses wide in the early stages, pushed forward to find the lead at the 1300m and ran along at an even tempo so it was a good display. She is backing up at Melton tomorrow night. SOHO HUDSON was the first horse to the markers before taking cover and ending up being three back on the markers. He came to the outside at the 600m and tried hard for second. ORCH began quickly and moved up without cover before working to the front. He took a trail behind JAZSPUR and battled on fairly well for third spot. He backed up at Ballarat on Thursday night.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.6 Last Half: - 58.5 Margins: - 6m, ½ head
BENDIGO 06/05/24
Trial 2: - MORE BLISS won the trial for the juvenile trotters after he trailed the leader and came to the outside with 300m remaining. He was able to snare victory on the line from the early leader HAMMER with COOPER KAI being third across the line after settling four back on the markers and finishing off well via the sprint lane.
Mile Rate: - 2.6.0 Last Half: - 60.9 Margins: - Head, 2m
Trial 3: - PLAYNICE galloped away and lost his chance at his previous start and he quickly bounced back with a big victory. He stormed to the lead shortly after the start, ran along at a genuine tempo and scored by a large margin. MISS PIGGY WIGGY finished in second position after she settled four back on the markers before moving up without cover with 700 remaining. CHEDDAR ME THIS settled five back on the markers, came out three horses wide with 500m remaining and finished off fairly well for third. ACE DUIGAN was three wide early, angled across to the markers in third position mid-race and was fourth past the post.
Mile Rate: - 1.59.6 Last Half: - 61.5 Margins: - 16m, 28m
Trial 5: - SASSINESS was three back on the markers and wanted to race fiercely in the early stages. She moved up without cover in the last lap and was able to grind out a strong victory. LOCHIEL LAD NZ trailed the leader early before moving around to find the lead with 1800m remaining. He set up a genuine tempo and was kicking on well in the straight to be beaten by a narrow margin. He is ideally drawn at Ouyen on Sunday and should prove hard to beat. HOORAH PHILTRA settled four back on the inside, moved into the one out and one back trail and came out three horses wide at the 300m mark. He finished in third and will be backing up at Shepparton on Tuesday. WILLIAMS led out then took cover and finished in fourth position.
Mile Rate: - 1.59.9 Last Half: - 58.3 Margins: - Head, 1m
Trial 7: - ORSINO BELLE settled sixth on the markers, moved to the outside at the quarter pole and finished off fast to win impressively. INSIDER TRADING settled four back on the markers and moved into the death seat at the 500m. He fought on strongly and finished a narrow second. He is resuming from a spell at Shepparton on Tuesday night. SONORA SUNSET began quickly from the outside draw to power to the lead, took cover and ended up being three back on the markers. He popped off the markers at the 400m and finished off well for third position. He makes his debut at Ouyen on Sunday and should be competitive in that event.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.3 Last Half: - 60.4 Margins: - 1m, Nose
MILDURA 05/05/25
Trial 1: - MY ULTIMATE LEVI is a strong pacer, which hasn’t raced since December. He was able to take out the opening trial over RIO ROCK, which was having her last hit-out before the Ouyen Cup on Sunday. HEATHBERN BRUCE has returned to Victoria after having a stint in Tasmania. He finished a distant third and was a long way clear of stable mate HIGHWAY TO HEAVEN NZ.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.8 Last Half: - 59.5 Margins: - 2.5m, 10m
Trial 2: - SHES POPPY is resuming since a ninth at Mildura in December. She won three races in succession back in October and November and she indicated she might be back to her peak form with a runaway trial victory. LINCOLNS DREAM hasn’t raced since a win at Broken Hill back in February 2024. He finished a distant second with YOU ARE MY SOUL, an unraced filly by Rock N Roll Heaven for trainer Allan MacDonald, being the third horse across the line.
Mile Rate: - 2.6.3 Last Half: - 60.3 Margins: - 20m, 5m
MELTON 07/05/25
Trial 1: - DALEY WATERS broke at the start, settled last of the five runners, moved to the outside with 900m remaining and sustained a strong run to win nicely. FARROKH was without cover early, angled in to trail the leader and circled around to hit the front at the 700m. He couldn’t hold off the challenge of DALEY WATERS but he battled on well for second. OLD DOMINION commenced from the handicap of 20m as well as the first two place getters and was three back on the markers for the majority of the trip. He angled to the outside approaching the home turn and battled on reasonably well for third.
Mile Rate: - 2.11.1 Last Half: - 59.9 Margins: - 6.75m, 1.5m
Trial 2: - FLOATING MOUNTAIN trailed the leader and came to the outside on the home turn. He finished off strongly and scored with ease, which is a strong form pointer for his effort at Melton tonight. TROUVILLE SUR MER settled three back on the markers, used the sprint lane and made ground for second. DREAMS OF LOVE attempted to lead throughout and finished in third.
Mile Rate: - 2.5.0 Last Half: - 60.2 Margins: - 12.75m, 6.25m
BLACKBOOKER: - Floating Mountain
Trial 4: - JUST INCREDIBLE trailed the leader and moved away from the inside at the 300m. He was able to chase down the early leader HAWKESDALE DEED and got up on the line. Considering the final half was run in a slick 56.6 seconds and the pair beat the remainder of the field headed by THE NINJA by a large margin, both horses performed very well.
Mile Rate: - 1.59.5 Last Half: - 56.6 Margins: - Nose, 30m
Trial 5: - REMUS PHOENIX continued his very good trial form with a victory over MEGA SPUR. He was without cover early, pushed forward to find the lead at the 1800m then took cover at the 1500m. He left the pegs at the quarter pole and went to the line with plenty in reserve to get the prize by a comfortable margin. MEGA SPUR led out, took cover and ended up being three back on the markers. She moved away from the inside with 400m remaining and tried hard in the straight for second. HATCHBACK settled four back on the markers and worked home reasonably well via the sprint lane for third.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.8 Last Half: - 62.6 Margins: - 3m, 6m
Trial 7: - THESTATESMAN trailed the leader and came to the outside on the home turn. He finished off best to win in fast time. TWISTING BY NZ settled four back on the markers, moved to the outside with 300m remaining and chased hard in the straight to finish in second. ALBY TWO CHAINS attempted to lead throughout and set up a genuine tempo but was run down in the final 200m. He has recently returned from Tasmania and makes his Victorian comeback tomorrow night at Melton. SWEET IDEAL settled last of the five runners and worked past OOH AH LISTAH (3 back markers) to finish in fourth position. OOH AH LISTAH is backing up tonight at Melton.
Mile Rate: - 1.56.1 Last Half: - 57.2 Margins: - 2m, 4.5m
Trial 8: - I AM WILMA led out then took cover and ended up being three back on the markers at the 1700m. She moved up without cover at the 700m mark and was very strong at the finish to gain the prize. She is resuming tomorrow night at Melton. THE SKY IS THE LIMIT led out then took cover and came to the outside on the home turn. He battled on fairly well for second with ALDEBARAN ABEL doing a very good job to come from last of the seven runners to finish in third position. TE AMO settled five back on the inside, moved into the one out and one back trail at the 700m and finished a distant fourth.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.8 Last Half: - 61.0 Margins: - 3.25m, 1.25m
BLACKBOOKER: - I Am Wilma
Trial 9: - JUSTALITTLESIP settled three back on the inside, moved off the markers at the 600m and sprinted quickly. He was able to sustain the run in a sizzling final quarter of 26.6 seconds to get the prize. SEBS CHOICE was without cover in the early stages, restrained to be four back on the markers and angled into the one out and one back trail at the 600m. He went back into the sprint lane in the home straight and battled on well in the straight. He is returning from Tasmania at Melton tomorrow night. LIGHTNING DAN led out then took cover behind MAGIC MIKE NZ and finished a distant third. MAGIC MIKE NZ was last of the four runners across the line and is backing up at Melton tomorrow night.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.7 Last Half: - 56.6 Margins: - 1.75m, 33.5m