Craig Rail is bullish on the prospects of one of Brent Lilley's latest acquisitions following a promising trial display at Melton this week.
Rail believes former New Zealand pacing mare Luella “should be winning a race in the near future” after a dominant hit-out on Monday night.
She was one of three Blackbookers added to the file this week, with Kiwi-trained Aldebaran Keepa, who goes around at Melton next Tuesday, and Andrew Vozlic-prepared Our Master Play, who is engaged in race one at Mildura today, also marked as horses to follow.
TRIAL REPORT
SHEPPARTON 11/08/22
Trial 1: - LOCHINVAR ART was impressive in his final public hit-out before he makes his return to racing in the My Lightning Blue FFA at Melton tomorrow night. He ran along at a genuine tempo and completely outclassed his rivals to score by ten lengths. He appeared to have something in reserve at finish and should run a big race first up. MAJOR DELICO came from three back on the markers to finish in second and HURRICANE HALL came from last of the four runners to finish third in front of ROCKET BOY.
Mile Rate: - 1.55.0 Last Half: - 56.0 Margins: - 30m, 15m
Trial 2: - ROYAL APPOINTMENT produced a promising performance leading up to his debut at Ararat on Sunday. He trailed the leader early, ended up being three back on the markers and sustained a long run from the 600m to win with ease. He is awkwardly drawn at Ararat but he should perform well. LIBERTY CREST finished second after trailing the leader and CHEROKEE JAC (4 back markers, 1-1 from 600m) filled third spot.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.8 Last Half: - 59.8 Margins: - 20m, 2m
Trial 3: - BENNY THE GUN trailed the leader BE MY STAR and came to the inside at the 300m. He drew clear over the latter stages to win well with BE MY STAR finishing second and SARGEANT STRIDE (5 back markers) was finishing off stylishly to run third. BENNY THE GUN unfortunately galloped and lost his chance at Shepparton five days later but he has ability and he is nicely bred so he can improve on his race record in the near future.
Mile Rate: - 2.9.4 Last Half: - 61.4 Margins: - 8m, 12m
MILDURA 14/08/22
Trial 1: - THE VERGINIAN prepared for his first up performance this afternoon with a strong trial victory over UNETHICAL, which also resumes today. UNETHICAL set the speed with THE VERGINIAN parking on her outside throughout. THE VERGINIAN was just able to outstay his rivals in the run to the judge.
Mile Rate: - 2.5.0 Last Half: - 61.9 Margins: - 1m, 5m
Trial 2: - OUR MASTER PLAY has made a few errors recently but he is a handy type when he puts it altogether. He completely dominated his rivals in winning the final trial. He led throughout and scored by a large margin in reasonable time. He can’t lead from his awkward draw this afternoon but he is a winning chance if he does everything right.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.0 Last Half: - 60.1 Margins: - 40m, 15m
BLACKBOOKER: - Our Master Play
BACCHUS MARSH 14/08/22
Trial 1: - The opening trial for the juvenile pacers was won by The Ian Slater prepared filly TALLULAH LEE, which is by Art Major out of the former speedy European bred mare REEDS MAY GBR. She scored by a comfortable margin over SPRING BLU, which hasn’t raced since March with YOU TELL EM being in third position.
Mile Rate: - 2.5.4 Last Half: - 60.4 Margins: - 8m, 12m
Trial 2: - ROCKNROLL WALLA hasn’t raced since a debut victory at Melton back in February. He was able to defeat the speedy pacer HES AN ARTIST with RIPPLE EFFECT being a large distance away in third spot. The last quarter was run in a slick 28.2 seconds so both the winner and the runner up performed soundly.
Mile Rate: - 2.4.2 Last Half: - 59.1 Margins: - Nose, 20m
TABCORP PARK, MELTON 15/08/22
Trial 1: - ROI DU SOLEIL began brilliantly from the standing start to find the lead from his handicap of 20m. He ran along at a genuine tempo and defeated a class field so he might be worth following, particularly when he draws on the front line. ANYWHERE HUGO settled fifth on the markers, made a move at the 500m and finished off swiftly for second and the juvenile trotter ROCKINWITHATTITUDE, which trailed the leader, did a big job to finish third against the Metropolitan performers including GET LUCKY NZ and HATCHBACK.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.0 Last Half: - 59.55 Margins: - 4m, 7m
Trial 2: - SAHARA BREEZE continued her very strong trial form with a runaway victory over HOLDEM OR FOLDEM and SPORTING GRACE. SAHARA BREEZE is out of the fast mare Sahara Miss (1.54.4) and is a half sister to four sub two minutes performers including Sahara Tiger (1.56.3) and Sahara Sirocco (1.53.8). She led out, took a trail and dashed to the front with 500m remaining. HOLDEM OR FOLDEM did make up good ground on the beaten brigade, coming from last to pick up second on the line.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.5 Last Half: - 57.54 Margins: - 19m, Nose
Trial 3: - ILLAWONG BENITA prepared for her effort in the Need For Speed Princess heat at Melton on Tuesday with a victory over DANDIFY. She trailed the leader, came to the outside with 500m remaining and quickly put the issue beyond doubt. DANDIFY has ability but is still learning. He missed the start by approximately 30m, tacked on at the 1200m and ran home strongly late.
Mile Rate: - 2.6.0 Last Half: - 59.80 Margins: - 7.5m, 3m
Trial 5: - ALDEBARAN KEEPA NZ is a New Zealand trained filly, which has won three of her fourteen starts on the North Island. She will be contesting a heat of the Need for Speed Princess series at Melton on Tuesday and gave a bold showing with a nice victory over IM ABOVE THE LAW. She led out, took a trail and started her winning run at the 600m, winning with seemingly something in reserve. IM ABOVE THE LAW resumes from a spell in the Need for Speed Prince series and will be taking on the champion juvenile of last season in Plymouth Chubb. He was three back on the markers in the trial and was doing his best work at the finish.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.8 Last Half: - 59.28 Margins: - 4.5m, 14m
BLACKBOOKER: - Aldebaran Keepa NZ
Trial 6: - WOTDIDUSAAAY prepared for his effort at Ararat on Sunday with a big victory over LET IT LINGA and GYPSY PRINCESS. He was able to lead throughout and recorded fast time in the trial victory but unfortunately at Ararat, he has drawn awkwardly on the inside of the second line.
Mile Rate: - 1.57.9 Last Half: - 57.90 Margins: - 12.5m, 18.5m
Trial 7: - WHOS THE MAN won the seventh event, which might end up being the form trial of the week. He settled three back on the inside, moved to the outside at the 300m and finished powerfully to score. COURAGE STRIDE led and was run down but the winner carries a National Rating of 79 and COURAGE STRIDE will be racing against his own age group in a heat of the Need for Speed Prince series at Melton on Tuesday night. TAIMATE SASS NZ is also racing at Melton on Tuesday night and is probably in the strongest heat of the Need for Speed Princess series. She was four back on the markers, came away from the inside at the 500m and switched back to trail the leader on the home turn, finishing a nice third. CHUCHULAINN NZ was doing her best work at the end and finished fourth with HIGH IN THE SKY NZ being the last horse across the line.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.6 Last Half: - 58.96 Margins: - 2m, 5.5m
Trial 8: - The former New Zealand pacer LUELLA NZ has recently joined trainer Brent Lilley and should be winning a race in the near future. She has a low National Rating of 51 and she came out wide from fifth approaching the home turn when she was able to swoop past the early leaders to win by a large margin. She defeated CONSPIRATOR NZ, which scored at Kilmore a few weeks ago so the form line out of the trial should be strong.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.6 Last Half: - 57.56 Margins: - 14.5m, 8.5m
BLACKBOOKER: - Luella NZ
Trial 9: - ROCK N ROLL DOO NZ hasn’t raced since winning at Melton in June but he appeared to be very sharp in leading throughout and defeating SAHARA SIROCCO in the final trial. He is a very smart pacer and should continue to perform well.
Mile Rate: - 1.56.7 Last Half: - 55.27 Margin: - 22.5m
BENDIGO 15/08/22
Trial 2: - MONTANA CHEVELLE prepared for her performance at Bendigo this evening with an all of the way victory over SHEZ MAJESTIC, which moved up without cover from third at the 700m. IVAR is racing in the same race as MONTANA CHEVELLE this evening and finished third in the trial after settling last of the four horses in the early stages.
Mile Rate: - 2.5.4 Last Half: - 60.3 Margins: - 6m, 10m
Trial 4: - OZZIE SWEET PEA is a smart filly, which has won two of her three starts to date. She hasn’t raced since May and was very fresh in the trial as she raced very fiercely in the early and middle stages. She led throughout to defeat SLICE OF CHEDDAR, which settled three back on the markers and worked home reasonably well.
Mile Rate: - 1.58.4 Last Half: - 57.7 Margins: - 11m, 6m
Trial 7: - DUKE OF DUNDEE began quickly to find the lead and was untroubled in scoring in the last event. KIVIK is a Tasmanian pacer that is drawn on the pole position at Melton on Saturday night. He is meeting a better field tomorrow night but he did perform well in the trial. He was three back on the inside, moved into the death seat at the 600m and switched in behind DUKE OF DUNDEE around the final bend. He then went to the line with plenty in reserve sitting in behind DUKE OF DUNDEE without peeling to the outside at any stage.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.2 Last Half: - 57.8 Margins: - 4m, 10m
