Two-year-old trotter Kyvalley Ray caught the eye of Craig Rail after a strong trial win at Melton. He steps out for his debut at Maryborough on Wednesday, becoming the first son of Bold Eagle to race in Australia.
Rail also noted Lombok’s strong finish in a trial at Maryborough.
Talented trotter Enchauffour signaled he was back and ready to target his three-year-old campaign with a powerful finish in a Melton trial.
Romeo also appears to have a promising future after two impressive trial performances.
TRIAL REPORT 309
SHEPPARTON 20/03/25
Trial 1: - The Echuca Cup winner FOLLOWTHACE has continued to build on his consistent record and was able to record slick time in winning the opening trial after leading throughout. He defeated ALWAYSBEALADY, which is a former Tasmanian mare that has raced in Victoria previously and returns after a short stint in Queensland. She makes her Victorian racetrack return at Melton tomorrow night and went well enough in the trial after coming from last and finishing off swiftly to suggest she can go well. NIGHT SCHOOL was the last horse home after trailing the leader throughout.
Mile Rate: - 1.57.5 Last Half: - 58.8 Margins: - 8m, 10m
Trial 3: - SASSINESS was without cover early, progressed forward to find the lead at the 1700m and pulled hard in the run. She went to the line under a throttle hold and won with ease. She is racing at Wagga this afternoon and must be considered as a winning chance. DASHING COWBOY was four back on the markers, moved into the one out and one back trail at the 500m and finished off nicely for second. He resumed at Kilmore on Thursday night and is also engaged at Cranbourne on Sunday so he is having a busy week. SHAKEN SANDS was six back on the inside, followed behind DASHING COWBOY in the back straight (1-2) and worked into third position.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.6 Last Half: - 59.2 Margins: - 8m, 6m
Trial 5: - CATIES SON won the trial for juvenile pacers. He is by Captain Crunch out of Kissmecatie (1.56.3, $125,344), which has produced three winners including Kissmelvis (1.52.5, $145,887) and there was a lot to like about his performance considering he extended beautifully from behind the leader in the home straight. DOUBLE NEEDS finished in second and provided the Quinella for trainer Wayne Potter. He is all Canadian bred being by Warrawee Needy CA out of Warrawee Flare CA 1.50.6, $609,019) and is a full brother to the handy performer Flare Up (1.55.1, $98,723). He makes his debut at Wagga this afternoon and could improve from his trial performance as he raced very greenly in the front running role. DELIZIOSO was without cover and restrained to be last on the markers. He finished in third and was ahead of HELLO BEAUTIFUL (3 back markers).
Mile Rate: - 1.59.7 Last Half: - 58.00 Margins: - 5m, 8m
BACCHUS MARSH 22/03/25
Trial 1: - MAGIC LAW was able to win the opening trial leading up to her performance at Geelong this evening. She scored by a narrow margin over the Alison Alford trained juvenile trotter WAITING FOR ANNA. WAITING FOR ANNA is by Majestic Son out of the unraced mare Aldebaran Revenue, which has produced four winners including Aldebaran Poppy (1.59.7, $63,785), Keayang Ignite (1.57.8, $91,935) and Aldebaran Boyd (1.57.8, $90,670). NARKY INTELLECTUAL finished a distant third at his first trial performance.
Mile Rate: - 2.15.0 Last Half: - 63.7 Margins: - Nose, 300m
Trial 2: - LIVELY RASCAL was another pacer that used the Bacchus Marsh trials as a stepping stone to the Geelong meeting this evening. He recorded reasonable time in his trial victory over UP AND ABOUT, which is backing up at Maryborough on Monday, with GENERAL LINCOLN being four metres away in third position. SOFT LANDING is also competing at Geelong this evening and has joined trainer Ian Hunter since his debut performance. He was the fourth horse across the line.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.8 Last Half: - 59.6 Margins: - 1m, 4m
Trial 3: - UNCLAD took out the trial for the juvenile trotters and scored by a large margin. He is by Quaker Jet out of the very good producer Starcus, which has provided nine individual winners thus far including Zhenya (2.2.0, $108,499), War Dan Destroyer (1.53.8, $181,262) and Naked Ambition (1.56.5, $105,685). He is nicely bred and won his trial comfortably so he might be worth following. FRANCO AMERICANO (Classic Connection – Calder Image) finished in second position with ALCOMBZ (Majestic Son – Idle Lea) being the third horse across the line.
Mile Rate: - 2.10.7 Last Half: - 63.4 Margins: - 15m, 4m
Trial 4: - MILLY METER was placed at her latest outing and kept the momentum rolling with a trial victory over PATNWILL. She has drawn nicely for her performance at Geelong this evening. PATNWILL has recently joined trainer Corey Bell and will have a busy week as she is engaged at both Geelong and Cranbourne. SKYTE was the third horse across the line.
Mile Rate: - 2.9.2 Last Half: - 62.5 Margins: - 1m, 15m
Trial 7: - SCAR was in good form at the end of his last preparation and he was able to win his trial leading up to his first up run at Kilmore on Thursday night. He is also backing up at Maryborough on Monday so he is in for a busy time this campaign. THE SARGENT finished in second and will also be resuming at Geelong this evening. BALLIANGUS was last of the three runners across the line.
Mile Rate: - 2.8.1 Last Half: - 61.4 Margins: - 2m, 10m
MARYBOROUGH 22/03/25
Trial 1: - THE ANSWER settled last of the five runners, moved up without cover at the 800m and sustained a strong run to get the prize. RABADA attempted to lead throughout and battled on well for second. He is resuming from a spell at Melton tomorrow night. STARZINHEREYES was third across the line after trailing the leader throughout and backed up with a fourth position behind Goodtime Mach at Hamilton on Wednesday. SHADOW TERROR was without cover early, restrained to be four back on the markers and angled out three horses wide on the home turn. He battled on okay for fourth and is backing up at Mildura this afternoon.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.2 Last Half: - 57.5 Margins: - Unavailable
Trial 2: - MERCENARY was stood down to trial after he cost himself victory in the Charlton Cup, where he was nicely in front but switched into a pace with 150m remaining. He was able to re-qualify with a comfortable trial success, where he dashed home in a slick final half of 57.0 seconds after leading throughout. He is racing at Melton tomorrow night. ALL THAT REMAINS finished in second after trailing the leader throughout and maintained her good trial form with ARISTOTLE (3 back markers) being a further ten metres away in third spot.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.2 Last Half: - 57.0 Margins: - 5m, 10m
Trial 3: - HUMOUR ME is a nicely bred filly for trainer Lisa Miles and recorded handy time in her qualifying trial success. She is by American Ideal out of Punch Line (1.54.2, $84,499), whose first foal is the impressive pacer He’s Ideal (1.54.7, $111,160), which has won ten of his fifteen starts. She led out, took a trail and raced fiercely before starting her winning run with 300m remaining. TEEOFFBECA finished in second after pushing forward to find the lead shortly after the start and was well clear of the third placed EMJAY JAZZ, which settled in the running lane (1-2). EMJAY JAZZ backed up with a fifth placed effort behind Apache Bart at Hamilton on Wednesday.
Mile Rate: - 1.59.8 Last Half: - 59.8 Margins: - 6m, 12m
Trial 6: - LOMBOK hasn’t raced since a disappointing eighth at Shepparton in December but she finished off in good final sectionals from her position of being four back on the markers to win her trial. She strikes a suitable assignment at Mildura this afternoon and should go close if she can replicate her trial effort. SWISS LIGHTNING finished in second position after being three back on the markers and coming to the outside at the 600m mark. He followed with a fourth placed effort behind Feelingoodfreddie at Hamilton on Wednesday. SKADI trailed the leader, angled to the outside at the 150m mark and was the third horse across the line.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.3 Last Half: - 58.8 Margins: - 3m, 4m
BLACKBOOKER: - Lombok
BENDIGO 24/03/25
Trial 2: - ALWAYS THE SHOWMAN galloped away and lost all chance in the Melton Plate on Saturday night. He was clearly the class runner of the trial and was able to get the job done after progressing forward to find the lead shortly after the start. He is travelling up to Mildura for the first night of the Mildura Cup Carnival on Tuesday night. JETTER SON backed up from his impressive trial win a week earlier and did well again for a second placing after leading out then taking cover. NEVS DREAM was the third horse across the line after settling three back on the markers with MY DIAMOND (5 back markers, without cover at 700m) being in fourth.
Mile Rate: - 1.59.1 Last Half: - 57.8 Margins: - Neck, 9m
Trial 5: - IM ALL BUSINESS followed his handy trial performance a week earlier with a runaway victory in fast time and he was most impressive. He settled down last of the six runners, came to the outside at the 800m and sprinted quickly in the back straight, sustaining the run to win by a large margin. TOTALLY STUNNING finished in second position after settling four back on the markers and coming out three horses wide from the quarter pole. She was well clear of the third placed RED ROBBER, which settled five back on the markers.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.6 Last Half: - 57.0 Margins: - 25m, 16m
Trial 6: - TICKTOK broke stride at Melton on Saturday night and was stood down to trial. She was able to re-qualify by winning her trial comfortably after leading out then taking cover. She extended nicely in the final 200m and is backing up at Melton tomorrow night. CONSTANT finished in second position after being three back on the markers with ILLAWONG STARDUST, which galloped away in the Sumthingaboutmaori FFA at Melton on Saturday night, being the third horse across the line. She made another error in the trial, galloping away and losing approximately fifty metres. She did well thereafter after chasing hard, circling the field and finding the lead at the 1300m. She is backing up at Melton again tomorrow night.
Mile Rate: - 2.4.8 Last Half: - 60.0 Margins: - 8m, 5m
TERANG 25/03/25
Trial 1: - HARBOUR SPRINGS hasn’t raced since October but was able to win the opening trial albeit in slow time. JILLIBY WORPA is a juvenile pacer for Margaret and Paddy Lee and was beaten narrowly at his first trial performance. He is by Guaranteed out of Jilliby Daphne (1.57.3, $35,012), which has produced three winners including Jilliby Mendoza (1.57.8, $59,321). QUANFA GOLD and HAPPILY finished third and fourth respectively.
Mile Rate: - 2.5.4 Last Half: - 61.7 Margins: - Head, 2m
Trial 2: - SWEETPASSION was able to finish off in slick final sectionals to win the open class trial over the in-form pacer GOLDEN TRIBE, which is an emergency at Melton tomorrow night and will be hard to beat if he gains a start. ALWAYS BE BLAKEY finished a distant third ahead of ALL BLAZING GUNS.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.8 Last Half: - 56.1 Margins: - 2m, 12m
MELTON 25/03/25
Trial 4: - KYVALLEY RAY NZ is a nicely bred juvenile colt for trainer Brent Lilley. He recorded a time that was more than comparable to what has been recorded in this season’s early season juvenile events so he is worth following. He led throughout to defeat TIPPLE TIME, which sat in the trail throughout and backed up his good trial effort a week earlier. JAYS ALL THAT was a distant third after trailing the leader throughout.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.3 Last Half: - 60.8 Margins: - 7.5m, 142m
BLACKBOOKER: - Kyvalley Ray NZ
Trial 5: - ROMEO backed up his very good trial victory at Cranbourne a week earlier with a win in fast time so he appears to have a promising future. He led throughout and appeared to have plenty in reserve. FICTION FILE was three back on the markers and worked into second position. He was comfortably clear of SHEZALLRHYTHM (5 back markers, 1-1 at 700m) with KITZBUHEL DELIGHT being the fourth horse across the line after settling down in sixth and moving into the death seat at the 800m mark.
Mile Rate: - 1.57.0 Last Half: - 58.0 Margins: - 11m, 4m
BLACKBOOKER: - Romeo
Trial 6: - GOLDEN SHOOZ is a smart filly, which hasn’t raced since being unplaced in the Breeders Challenge Final at Menangle in October. She has won several trials recently and finished off in a slick final quarter of 27.3 seconds from the front running role on Tuesday so she should go well when she resumes. GALAXY LASS showed good gate speed to trail the leader and chased hard for second. She was well ahead of the third placed BELLA LOUISE, which settled three back on the markers. BELLA LOUISE is backing up at Cranbourne on Sunday night.
Mile Rate: - 1.58.0 Last Half: - 56.8 Margins: - 2m, 9m
Trial 7: - THESTATESMAN hasn’t raced since finishing second in the Super Series Silver event back in September. He was four back on the markers, moved into the one out and one back trail at the 700m and was able to win the trial over NAKULA NZ, which has been on her worst behaviour at the races over the past two weeks but did everything right in the trial and was able to work to the front shortly after the start. GOODTIME LIBBY finished a close up third after being three back on the markers and moving into the death seat with 700m remaining.
Mile Rate: - 2.4.7 Last Half: - 57.6 Margins: - Head, 1.5m
Trial 8: - ENCHAUFFOUR hasn’t raced since winning the Breeders Crown in November but he returned in style with a dominant front running display over TIPSY TURVY. TIPSY TURVY settled four back on the markers, moved up without cover at the 600m mark and tried hard over the latter stages. She is backing up in a standing start event at Melton tomorrow night. ROCKY VALLEY trailed the leader and finished in third with SUGA DADDY (3 back markers) being just behind him in fourth position.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.8 Last Half: - 59.2 Margins: - 10m, 2.5m
BLACKBOOKER: - Enchauffour
Trial 10: - NO MONEY NO HONEY was three back on the inside but broke stride with 1200m remaining and lost approximately thirty metres. She recovered in the back straight on the final occasion, came out three horses wide at the 400m and finished off best to win nicely. CASCATA was three back on the markers early, ended up being behind the leader and came to the outside on the home turn. She finished in second position with FLING IT RAINBOW being in third after breaking stride on the first turn then progressing forward to find the lead at the 1400m. ATM ACCOUNT settled fifth on the markers in the early stages and picked up several positions with several horses making errors and battled into fourth. THE SARGENT was last on the markers early, moved to the outside at the 1200m to race without cover and finished a distant fifth. CASCATA is backing up at Cranbourne on Sunday night and THE SARGENT is scheduled to compete at Geelong tonight.
Mile Rate: - 2.4.8 Last Half: - 64.6 Margins: - 2m, 3.5m
Trial 11: - RAKAJED is a strong pacer but he showed very good speed in his trial victory as he led throughout and dashed home in a slick final quarter of 26.7 seconds. BETTER ECLIPSE finished in a close second after settling three back on the markers and coming wide into the home straight. He finished ahead of his stable mate HES FROM HEAVEN, which settled down last of the quartet and followed inside runs all of the way. SERGEANT LOU trailed the leader, came to the outside at the 300m and was last of the four runners across the line.
Mile Rate: - 1.59.9 Last Half: - 57.0 Margins: - Neck, 3m
HAMILTON 26/03/25
Trial 1: - BETTOR ISOLATE hasn’t raced since a fourth at Melton in November. He recorded a mile of 1.49.7 when he won the Breeders Challenge Final at Menangle in 2022 so he is a quality horse when he is at his peak. He dashed home in slick final sectionals to win the trial over stable mate RANGER RICK NZ, which hasn’t started since winning at his Australian debut back in March 2022. PICK UP ELVIS finished a distant third ahead of GO MY SON.
Mile Rate: - 1.58.8 Last Half: - 55.6 Margins: - 6m, 11.5m
Trial 2: - MECARNO continued his very good trial form with a runaway victory in the final trial. The maiden 3yo trotter recorded a mile rate of 1.58.8 and dashed home in a slick final quarter of 28.2 seconds so he is definitely worth following. ARGYLE MUSE did the best of the juvenile trotters by finishing in second ahead of ALDEBARAN ANTON. The Peter Manning trained juveniles NOSTRA NIPOTINA, COOPER CHUBB and VANCE LANE finished fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.
Mile Rate: - 1.58.8 Last Half: - 58.2 Margins: - 30m, 5.5m
.png)