Craig Rail has identified a potential bet for punters at Geelong on Boxing Day after another impressive hit-out from Mr Teddy.
The Amy Day-trained former Kiwi will have his first race start in Australia in the opening event on December 26 and Rail believes he “should prove hard to beat” after his effort at the Terang trials on Sunday.
Rail’s updated list of horses to follow is below this week's Victorian trial circuit review.
TRIAL REPORT
MARYBOROUGH 16/12/23
Trial 2: - TIGER BAND WAGON trailed the leader, got a run through the middle in the home straight and accelerated nicely to win the trial impressively. RADIUS finished in second placing after setting the speed and SHADOW CELT finished in third after settling last of the four and coming out three horses wide on the home turn. SHADOW CELT backed up at Melton on Wednesday and was able to score after coming out very wide from last at the quarter pole. RADIUS is nicely drawn for his performance at Melton on Saturday night.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.7 Last Half: - 57.9 Margins: - Head, Neck
BLACKBOOKER: - Tiger Band Wagon
Trial 4: - HOPE BRADY trailed the leader in a slowly run trial before coming to the outside on the home turn. He showed a nice sprint in handy final sectionals at the end and was able to win the trial comfortably. BOZANARROW showed terrific gate speed to lead clearly from a wide draw then set up a slow tempo. He was comfortably run down by HOPE BRADY in the straight but was able to beat the remainder of the field by a good margin. MIDNIGHT MUSIC finished in third position after settling four back on the markers and getting past KIMCHI (3 back markers) in the home straight. She is backing up at Maryborough this afternoon.
Mile Rate: - 2.6.6 Last Half: - 58.7 Margins: - 4m, 12m
Trial 5: - TUBS NOW SLIM gained a nice trail behind the leader and waited for the home straight to make his move. He powered to the lead in the straight and shot well clear under a throttle hold so it was an impressive display. COREYS COURAGE was inconvenienced by the galloping EMILY MEAGAN at the start before ending up being three back on the markers. He made a move at the 500m mark and hit the lead on the home turn but couldn’t repel the challenge of TUBS NOW SLIM in the straight. He is competing at Maryborough this afternoon. The early leader KVINTET HILL set up a genuine tempo before breaking stride when being overtaken on the home turn.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.3 Last Half: - 63.9 Margins: - 15m, 10m
CRANBOURNE 16/12/23
Trial 1: - Only three horses contested the pre meeting trial at Cranbourne with FOLLOW THE ECLIPSE proving to be superior. He progressed forward to find the lead at the 1700m and was able to hold his rivals at bay without being pushed. He followed with a close second behind Popcornfriday at Melton on Wednesday afternoon. KILLARA INSANITY has recently joined trainer Kyle Marshall and made it a Quinella for the stable in the trial by using the sprint lane from three back on the markers and making up ground in the run to the finish. TYABB WONDER began quickly to lead, took cover and finished last of the three runners but wasn’t beaten by far. Both KILLARA INSANITY and TYABB WONDER competed at Cranbourne on Thursday afternoon with KILLARA INSANITY finishing second and TYABB WONDER being unplaced.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.8 Last Half: - 60.1 Margins: - 2.5m, Neck
TERANG 17/12/23
Trial 1: - The pacer PLAY ALTO was taking on the trotters under the standing start conditions and proved to be too quick in the sprint to the line. He was slow to begin and settled down last of the six runners early before picking up a few horses and settling four back on the inside. He made a move with 600m remaining and angled out very wide on the home turn before rushing past his rivals to win with something in reserve. LOTAMUSCLE NZ finished in second position with the early leader LOVE YA BROTHER being the third horse across the line.
Mile Rate: - 2.10.6 Last Half: - 60.9 Margins: - 9m, 1m
Trial 2: - SILENT MAJOR NZ settled five back on the markers before coming to the outside with a mile remaining and quickly progressed forward to find the lead. He appeared to be in danger of defeat with 100m remaining but kicked on strongly over the latter stages. OUR ULTIMATE LAYLA finished second after leading out, taking cover and chasing hard in the straight. She beat the remainder of the field by a handy margin and is drawn to go well at Geelong on Tuesday night. MR TEDDY NZ backed up his recent Terang trial success with a solid third. He settled four back on the markers, was shuffled back to fifth and moved up without cover at the 700m, chasing hard in the latter stages. JILLIBY MOJITO (3 then 4 back the markers) was fourth and SHEZA DAYDREAMA did well to come from last to finish in fifth. MR TEDDY NZ should prove hard to beat at Geelong on Tuesday night and JILLIBY MOJITO is engaged at Maryborough this afternoon.
Mile Rate: - 2.4.7 Last Half: - 58.2 Margins: - 2m, 12m
BLACKBOOKER: - Mr Teddy NZ
KYABRAM 17/12/23
Trial 1: - CRESCO CASHFLOW galloped and lost her chance on debut but was able to defeat older trotters in the trial by a comfortable margin. LAST CHANCE LINDY has recently returned to Victoria after an unsuccessful South Australian campaign and has joined trainer Lisa Hardy. She finished second with the unraced gelding KAMARAN being last of the three runners to cross the line. KAMARAN makes his debut at Maryborough this afternoon.
Mile Rate: - 2.15.0 Last Half: - Not given Margins: - 5m, 10m
Trial 2: - SWEET DIXIE is a filly for trainer Ronny Calleja, which is out of the race winning mare Jodi Lindenny NZ (2.3.8), the producer of several winners including Major Jodi (1.53.9, $90,510) and Denny Rocks (1.55.1, $48,365). In fact, SWEET DIXIE is the seventh foal and the first six foals have all been winners! She won the trial over stable mate MORNING MISS with PRE NUP finishing in third position.
Mile Rate: - 2.8.9 Last Half: - 60.4 Margins: - 20m, 10m
GEELONG 18/12/23
Trial 1: - FLYING SPARKS settled down in fourth position before making a move in the back straight on the first occasion. He moved to the lead with a mile remaining and never appeared to be in any doubt thereafter, going to the line with plenty in reserve. He has drawn on the pole position at Geelong on Tuesday night. ALFS GIRL finished in second position after leading out then taking cover before getting a little keen mid-race. She is also competing at Geelong on Tuesday. LIVELY RASCAL was third across the line after being three then four back on the markers and makes her debut at Maryborough this afternoon.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.2 Last Half: - 58.3 Margins: - 1m, 5m
Trial 2: - BALTICA settled four back on the inside before making her run in the final quarter. She finished off quickly and was able to run over the top of the early leader I AM PEGASUS. DESERT ASSASSIN ran a good race leading up to his performance at Geelong on Tuesday night as he finished off boldly from five back on the markers to pick up third position.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.4 Last Half: - 58.1 Margins: - ½ head, 10m
Trial 3: - EASY ROLLING began very quickly to find the lead, ran along at a genuine tempo and kicked clear on the home turn. She was peaking on her effort late but was able to get the job done in fast time. She is competing at Geelong on Tuesday night. GOODTIME ROY finished in second spot after trailing the leader throughout and GOODTIME HALO weaved a passage from four back on the markers to finish in third, doing her best work late along the inner. She backed up to finish fourth at Cranbourne on Thursday afternoon.
Mile Rate: - 1.59.6 Last Half: - 58.5 Margins: - 4m, Head
BENDIGO 18/12/23 (The Bendigo trial results have not been uploaded onto the Harness Website. The results in this report are as broadcast on the night and are not official).
Trial 1: - CHEVRON FLIES settled five back on the markers, moved into the one out and one back trail at the 600m and finished off best to get the prize. She nearly backed up to win at the Elmore @ Bendigo meeting on Thursday night but missed out by a narrow margin. JOHN WAYNE NZ followed behind CHEVRON FLIES NZ throughout and worked home well to finish in second position. EDWARDE GRANGE finished in third position after setting the speed and SURFINATMIDNIGHT was fourth after sitting in the trail throughout.
Mile Rate: - Unavailable Last Half: - Unavailable Margins: - 6m, 5m (approximately)
Trial 3: - TESTIFIED began quickly to find the lead and gave a bold sight but was run down right on the line by OZZIE JOYBELL, which finished off well from three back on the markers. OZZIE JOYBELL backed up to win at the Elmore meeting at Bendigo on Thursday night and TESTIFIED will make his debut at Geelong on Tuesday night. TALISKER SKIPPER was third after trailing the leader throughout and is backing up at Maryborough this afternoon.
Mile Rate: - Unavailable Last Half: - Unavailable Margins: - Head, 8m (approximately)
Trial 4: - The Super Series winning trotter ARCEE PHOENIX was able to defeat the pacers and was impressive leading up to his performance at Melton on Saturday night. He settled three back on the inside, moved into the one out and one back trail at the 900m and came out three horses wide on the home turn. BET ON THE TIGER NZ finished in second place after trailing the leader throughout and is having a busy ten days with a performance at Bendigo on Thursday night and another effort forthcoming at Shepparton on Wednesday. LADY LANI was third after setting the speed and will also be having a busy week having been scheduled to race at Melton tomorrow night and Shepparton on Wednesday. ORBIE was last of the four horses to cross the line after settling down at the tail and trying to make a run from the 400m. She also backed up at Bendigo on Thursday night.
Mile Rate: - Unavailable Last Half: - Unavailable Margins: - 1m, head (approximately)
Trial 6: - DAYLIGHT AT DAWN began quickly and attempted to try and find the lead over JACCKA CONNOR NZ in the early stages, angled in behind at the 1700m and finished off best to get the prize. He is backing up against a strong field at Melton tomorrow night. JACCKA CONNOR battled on fairly well after setting the speed and finished in second with ARNIES ARMY NZ being in third after settling three back on the markers. The trotter XEBEC settled down last and remained at the tail of the field throughout but was far from disgraced as he was taking on Metropolitan horses.
Mile Rate: - Unavailable Last Half: - Unavailable Margins: - 4m, 15m (approximately)
