One trial at Maryborough last weekend produced two new Blackbookers for HRV form guru Craig Rail.
Shaun McNaulty-trained Pesci finished strongly to win the event ahead of Alex Ashwood’s Milly Patone, who also impressed and shapes as a good winning chance at Stawell on Sunday.
Pesci is engaged at Maryborough next Wednesday.
Rail also added Star Hunter and Mister Excessive to the Blackbook, which can be found at the bottom of this week’s trial report.
TRIAL REPORT
BACCHUS MARSH 23/07/22
Trial 1: - ILLAWONG BENITA hasn’t raced since winning a heat of the Breeders Crown in November. She is a quality filly and defeated older horses in her trial victory so she is worth following. MAJESTIC CONNIES finished in second position with MIDNIGHT AVENGER being a close up third.
Mile Rate: - 2.9.7 Last Half: - 61.1 Margins: - 5m, 3m
Trial 3: - SOMEJOYFUL is a nicely bred filly, which has been performing soundly at the trials and continued the trend with a victory over CHERMEAR PRINCESS. The Jodi Quinlan trained filly appears to have a promising future. CHERMEAR PRINCESS finished comfortably ahead of the third placed ROBLEN RANGER and SPRINGFIELD AMIGO was 40m away in fourth position.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.4 Last Half: - 59.3 Margins: - 2m, 8m
Trial 5: - JUSTALITTLESIP is an impressive 3yo pacer, which remains undefeated in three Australian starts. He kept the winning trend rolling with a big victory over KHANS CREED with JUST MIKI being in third. JUSTALITTLESIP recorded very fast time and scored by a large margin so he should prove hard to beat at Yarra Valley on Monday.
Mile Rate: - 1.58.7 Last Half: - 57.0 Margins: - 25m, 10m
Trial 6: - SOMETHING BETTOR prepared for his performance at Bendigo tomorrow night with a victory over MIRADERO, which is competing at Ballarat this evening, with the lightly raced mare SWEET MIRACLE being in third position. The mile rate was a solid 1.59.3 so it was a good performance by the winner and he is likely to be driven in a forward manner at Bendigo.
Mile Rate: - 1.59.3 Last Half: - 61.3 Margins: - 5m, head
Trial 7: - HELEN BET MARY is a Wayne Ronan prepared filly, which used the Bacchus Marsh trials as a final hit-out for her debut performance at Stawell on Sunday. She won the final trial over BIG ROCKIN DAN with REALLY REGAL being in third position.
Mile Rate: - 2.5.1 Last Half: - 59.6 Margins: - 4m, 1m
MARYBOROUGH 24/07/22
Trial 1: - YORKSHIRE is a classy pacer that makes his return to racing at Mildura this afternoon. He was able to lead throughout and recorded fast time, scoring in effortless fashion. THE MISSING SOCK settled down last of the three runners and when he came to the outside, YORKSHIRE was already nicely clear. He hit the line nicely and finished in second position. VAPAR ROCKS was the last one across the line but he does have the lowest National Rating of the trio.
Mile Rate: - 1.59.3 Last Half: - 57.9 Margins: - 20m, 15m
Trial 3: - PESCI hasn’t raced since a fourth in a mile rate of 1.54.4 at Swan Hill in February. He has ability and produced a good performance to win his trial. He settled in seventh position, moved into the running lane at the 1100m and was three horses wide from the 400m before finishing strongly. CHEDALAYO finished second after racing without cover at various stages of the trial. She wanted to race fiercely during the middle stages so it was a good performance. BE THE ONE pressed forward to find the lead and was run down late. He returns from a break at Ballarat this evening. The eye-catching performance of the trial came from MILLY PATONE, which is now being prepared by Alex Ashwood. She settled five back on the markers and never peeled to the outside at any stage. She was jogging to the line and is worth following at Stawell on Sunday.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.6 Last Half: - 58.8 Margins: - 3m, 2m
BLACKBOOKERS: - Pesci & Milly Patone
Trial 4: - SHARDONANT settled three back on the inside and moved into the breeze at the 600m. He was able to do best from VICTORY GEORGE, which trailed the leader and finished quickly via the sprint lane. The trotter HUMBLE LADD began quickly and attempted to lead throughout. He kicked on strongly and missed out by a narrow margin.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.6 Last Half: - 59.0 Margins: - Head, Neck
Trial 6: - MISTER EXCESSIVE began very quickly and dashed to the front shortly after the start. He took cover at the 1500m and swiftly put the issue beyond doubt by sprinting to a clear lead at the 1500m. He makes his debut for trainer Alex Ashwood at Stawell on Sunday and will take beating on that trial victory. YANKEE GAMBLER will make his debut in the same race at Stawell and finished a distant second after settling four back on the markers before working home quite well via the passing lane.
Mile Rate: - 1.59.7 Last Half: - 59.5 Margins: - 20m, 5m
BLACKBOOKER: - Mister Excessive
Trial 7: - STEVIE GEE makes his debut at Ballarat this evening and is worth thought after his easy trial victory. He trailed the leader, hit the front at the 500m and scored untouched from YOUR KIDDING (3 back pegs), which will also be competing at Ballarat this evening.
Mile Rate: - 2.4.1 Last Half: - 60.7 Margins: - 15m, 25m
CRANBOURNE 24/07/22
Trial 1: - OTIS RISING trailed the leader, moved away from the inside at the 400m and went to the line strongly to score without being fully extended. SIR CHOW finished a close second after setting the speed and also went to the line with something in reserve.
Mile Rate: - 2.5.7 Last Half: - 60.4 Margins: - Head, 5.5m
Trial 2: - VILLACCI was able to lead throughout to win the trial by a comfortable margin. STAR HUNTER hasn’t started since being unplaced in the Breeders Crown Final in August 2019. He broke stride in the score up, settled five back on the inside and made a move in the final 500m. He went to the line without being extended and appeared to be worth following on that eye-catching display. OCEANIQUE finished in third after trailing the leader.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.0 Last Half: - 58.2 Margins: - 6.5m, ½ neck
BLACKBOOKER: - Star Hunter
COBRAM 24/07/22
There were two trials of small fields at Cobram with the unraced gelding SKINNY HORACE taking out the first event over ILLAWONG KELLIE in a mile rate of 2.5.0. The top trotting mare ILLAWONG STARDUST narrowly defeated ARTISTIC COWBOY in trial two.
BALLARAT 26/07/22
Trial 2: - The juvenile trial was taken out by the Kelvin Barker trained GODS GIFT after she trailed the leader, came to the outside at the 500m and kicked on strongly. IMAGINATION ORO finished second after settling three back on the markers and moving out three horses wide from the 300m. ISTHISJUSTFANTASY came from five back on the markers and finished in third position.
Mile Rate: - 2.4.6 Last Half: - 60.0 Margins: - Head, 5m
Trial 5: - YOU REALLY GOT ME raced without cover early and progressed forward to find the lead. He was dominant throughout and scored by a comfortable margin. ME PAT MALONE came from three back on the markers to finish second and KEAYANG XENA (4 back pegs) finished off well to run third.
Mile Rate: - 2.5.1 Last Half: - 59.1 Margins: - 7m, 3m
Trial 6: - CALL ON ME was very impressive in taking out the sixth event. She trailed the leader, came to the outside at the 300m and finished over the top of her rivals to win by twelve metres. BONNIE BELLE settled three back on the inside, obtained an inside run and finished second with the early leader RUNAWAY CELEBRITY finishing last of the three runners after hanging out under pressure in the home straight.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.1 Last Half: - 57.0 Margins: - 12m, 2m
Trial 7: - ALDEBARAN VERA stepped nicely and was briefly in front before being shuffled to three back on the markers. She moved into the one out and one back trail at the 400m and finished off best to get the prize. HONEY BOURBON began well and found the front then took cover shortly afterwards. She came to the outside at the 400m and boxed on well for second.
Mile Rate: - 2.10.2 Last Half: - 58.4 Margins: - 2m, 12m
