Harness racing guru Craig Rail has pinpointed some impressive trial performers to watch.
Bettor Jax finished strongly at Shepparton, while Lougle showed promising speed at Maryborough ahead of his debut at Geelong tonight.
SHEPPARTON 10/07/25
Trial 1: - BETTOR JAX NZ is a New Zealand bred gelding by Bettor’s Delight, which came from last of the three runners and finished off best to win with plenty in reserve. AMALIA trailed the leader, came to the outside on the home turn but couldn’t repel the challenge of BETTOR JAX NZ. She backed up at Kilmore on Thursday night and produced a handy performance to finish in third position. MAXI ANGEL was third past the post after trying to lead throughout.
Mile Rate: - 2.5.8 Last Half: - 59.0 Margins: - Neck, 7m
BLACKBOOKER: - Bettor Jax NZ
Trial 3: - VIOLET STANFORD was four then five back on the markers, pushed forward from the 1600m and found the lead at the 1100m. She finished off in slick final sectionals and scored nicely. NORMS LADY was without cover early and wanted to race fiercely throughout the middle stages. She pushed forward to find the lead, took cover at the 1100m and tried hard over the latter stages via the sprint lane. She backed up with a sixth placed effort at Kilmore on Thursday night. SPIRIT OF SAHARA led out then took cover at the 1600m. She was shuffled to three back on the markers mid-race and finished off fast to finish in third position. She is backing up at Wagga this afternoon.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.4 Last Half: - 57.4 Margins: - 1m, 6m
Trial 4: - I AM ON THERUN began quickly and angled in behind the leader. He came to the outside with 600m remaining and finished off best to score by a large margin. ROLLING REMONA settled three back on the markers and moved into the one out and one back trail approaching the home turn. She ran into a distant second with UNCLE TREV working into third after being six back on the markers, moving into the running lane at the 300m and finishing off fairly well. KUALIGHT settled last of the seven runners and was running home nicely over the latter stages for fourth. ROLLING REMONA raced at Kilmore on Thursday night and is also competing at Shepparton on Tuesday night. UNCLE TREV is also racing at Shepparton on Tuesday night.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.7 Last Half: - 59.7 Margins: - 10m, 3m
BACCHUS MARSH 12/07/25
Trial 2: - TIPPLE TIME showed a lot of ability in trials at the start of the season and it has taken a few trial outings this term to get back to that form but she demolished her rivals at Bacchus Marsh with a very dominant display. She scored by fifty metres over AMESKY, which is an unraced filly by Skyvalley. LA QUICK finished in third position and PLATINUMS SON was a distant fourth. The winner TIPPLE TIME is competing at Geelong this evening.
Mile Rate: - 2.5.5 Last Half: - 60.1 Margins: - 50m, 30m
Trial 3: - CAMNAT is a former New South Wales trained pacer, which has joined Carson Millar. He was able to win his trial over IDEAL CRAZY, which is an unraced mare by A Rocknroll Dance for trainer Terry Sinclair. FLYING SPARKS finished a distant third and was ahead of TRIROCKIN and JUSJOHN. CAMNAT backed up at Kilmore on Thursday night and finished third at his Victorian debut.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.8 Last Half: - 60.0 Margins: - 2m, 8m
Trial 5: - TOPSIES BLING recorded the fastest time of the six trials with her victory in a mile rate of 1.59.4. She hasn’t started since a third at Terang in November but she was in handy form during her last preparation. She defeated MISTER FONZI, which boasts nine victories in Queensland and a personal best time of 1.54.0. ALIENS EXIST finished last of the three runners.
Mile Rate: - 1.59.4 Last Half: - 58.9 Margins: - 1.5m, 25m
MARYBOROUGH 13/07/25
Trial 2: - SIR NIPPA has done well in his three starts for trainer Gerard Jamieson and continued to build on his confidence with a comfortable victory. He settled three back on the markers, found the one out and one back trail at the 500m and came out three horses wide from the 300m, getting away at the finish. He is racing at Geelong on Friday night. ZWICK finished in second after being four back on the markers and swinging out four horses wide on the home turn. He was just ahead of the early leader TELLMEBOUTIT. ZWICK is resuming from a spell at Stawell on Monday afternoon.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.5 Last Half: - 60.1 Margins: - 4m, 1m
Trial 4: - SASSY GALLEON hasn’t been at her best form this preparation at the races but she has performed nicely at the trials. She recorded fast time in her runaway victory over the open class mare PERFIDIOUS SUE after she sat in the trail throughout. She was aided by PERFIDIOUS SUE galloping when leading at the 150m mark but she was still impressive on the day. She is perfectly drawn to suit her racing pattern at Geelong this evening. ZARSKI finished a distant third after missing the start by approximately thirty metres and ROBBINMEMATES galloped away and failed to complete the course
Mile Rate: - 2.2.5 Last Half: - 60.7 Margins: - 25m, 15m
Trial 5: - LOUGLE continued his good trial form with a win in handy time. He began well and pushed forward to find the lead shortly after the start. He is making his debut at Geelong this evening. LETS GO LORNA is an unraced filly by Always B Miki out of the top mare Berisari (1.52.0, $377,991). She finished in second position after leading out, taking cover and moving off the markers with a half mile remaining. RYTA was third past the post after being four back on the markers and moving into the one out and one back trail at the 500m mark.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.6 Last Half: - 59.8 Margins: - 3m, 6m
BLACKBOOKER: - Lougle
CRANBOURNE 13/07/25
Trial 1: - MISS ADDI is an unraced filly by Vincent out of the good mare Misty Cullen (1.56.6, $27,420). She sat in the trail throughout and dashed home in a handy final quarter of 28.5 seconds to win the trial over the early leader ROLINGINTHEDEEP with LOVE A BELLE coming from last of the four runners to finish in third position. The trotter OX KNOX (3 back markers) was last of the four runners across the line but was never fully extended at any stage. He is competing at Geelong this evening.
Mile Rate: - 2.5.4 Last Half: - 59.7 Margins: - 1m, 5.5m
HAMILTON 14/07/25
Trial 1: - FOUROUTOFFIVE recorded a slick final half of 56.5 seconds to win the pre meeting trial. He is competing against a strong field at Melton tomorrow night. VISTA SIERRA was stood down to trial at her latest race track appearance and finished second ahead of EASTBRO MIKA, which hasn’t started since a third at Mount Gambier in February. EASTBRO MIKA is resuming from a spell at Stawell on Monday.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.7 Last Half: - 56.5 Margins: - 10.5m, 3.5m
MELTON ENTERTAINMENT PARK 15/07/25
Trial 2: - PRE EMINANT is an unraced filly for trainer Charlie Attard. She was without cover early, pushed forward to find the lead and dashed home in a slick final quarter of 27.9 seconds to defeat STORM VENDETTA, which settled three back on the markers and ran home well through the middle. ROCKNROLL WISH NZ is a New Zealand bred colt for trainer Craig Demmler and did well for third after settling last early and coming wide at the 300m mark. He finished ahead of SECRET SERVICE AGENT NZ, which was stood down to trial at his debut performance and did everything right in the trial after settling five back on the markers.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.7 Last Half: - 57.7 Margins: - 6m, 3m
Trial 3: - HARPERSEVEN performed below expectations when third at Cranbourne at her latest attempt but she quickly bounced back with an easy trial victory. She trailed the leader, dashed to the lead with a half mile remaining and sprinted quickly in the back straight. She established a good break and was able to sustain the run to win well. BROTHER MOUNTAIN finished second after leading early and being headed by the winner turning into the back straight on the final occasion. He was well clear of the third placed JUST A JOURNEY, which was three back on the markers throughout.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.7 Last Half: - 59.6 Margins: - 10.75, 25m
Trial 4: - FUN TO LOVE NZ has won three races in Tasmania since coming from New Zealand. She was last to begin but was good at the end and finished off in a reasonable final quarter to win the trial over the early leader THINKFAST RUNFAST. FINAL PROMISE was the third horse across the line after trailing the leader and coming to the outside on the home turn.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.0 Last Half: - 59.3 Margins: - 6.25m, 2.25m
Trial 6: - SAVANNAH BREEZE is an unraced gelding by A Rocknroll Dance out of the handy mare Safari Breeze (1.55.4, $176,150). He began quickly to find the lead and won the trial by a comfortable margin over BREAK MY ART, which trailed the leader and came to the outside with 300m remaining. BEARHUNTA was the third horse across the line after settling down last of the six runners and producing a good finishing burst out wide on the track.
Mile Rate: - 1.57.7 Last Half: - 58.5 Margins: - 4.5m, 1.5m