Harness racing form guru Craig Rail has identified several standout performers worth following from the recent trials.
At Melton, Sumthin Else impressed with a strong win against a handy line-up. After settling three back on the markers, she peeled out with 800 metres to go and proved too strong late.
In the same session, well-bred trotting filly Aldebaran Jazmine caught the eye with a sweeping finish. By Muscle Hill out of the classy mare Endsino, she was last throughout before storming home under a strong hold to win with ease.
Meanwhile at Bendigo, Hurrikane Katie made an immediate impression for new trainer John Tormey. After settling six back on the pegs, she unleashed a powerful burst from the home turn to score impressively.
SHEPPARTON 03/07/25
Trial 1: - RAGAZZO MAJOR NZ is a former New Zealand pacer, which joins trainer Isabel Walsh. He began quickly to fire to the lead, backed off the tempo mid-race and finished off in a slick final half of 57.2 seconds to hold his rivals at bay. LILLY LOTUS put in a good performance to finish in second. She settled four back on the inside, moved into the death seat at the 500m mark and chased hard to be beaten by less than a length. DUN ME UP FRANCY trailed the leader and used the sprint lane to finish in third position. ALWAYSBEALADY was three back on the markers and went to the line having no clear run with seemingly something to offer in fourth. Both DUN ME UP FRANCY and ALWAYSBEALADY will be competing at Melton this evening.
Mile Rate: - Unavailable Last Half: - 57.2 Margins: - 2m, 1m
Trial 2: - GINGER ELLA settled last of the four runners, moved up without cover at the quarter pole and chased hard to claim victory right on the line. She is an unraced filly by Ride High for David Farrar, which appears to have ability. ISLAND YANKEE finished in second after setting up a handy tempo in the lead. He is making his debut at Shepparton on Tuesday night. SIRARCHA trailed the leader and used the sprint lane to finish in third with MACHFREDDY (3 back pegs) being the last horse to cross the line.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.3 Last Half: - 57.6 Margins: - Head, 3m
Trial 5: - SOAP AND BUBBLES settled down last of the five runners and wanted to race fiercely for the majority of the journey. She moved into the one out and one back trail at the quarter pole and produced a big finish at the end to claim victory on the line. SPIRIT OF SAHARA finished in second after pushing forward to find the lead, taking cover and going back to the sprint lane in the home straight. NOHAT NOPLAY finished third across the line after being the early leader and ending up being three back on the markers from the 1500m. It is a long way from Shepparton to Hamilton but he is engaged to race at that venue on Monday afternoon. BYRNESIDE BOOM was three then four back on the markers and made ground for fourth. He backed up at Bendigo on Wednesday night but had little luck after being headed off from the pole position. He will be racing again at Shepparton on Tuesday night.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.9 Last Half: - 59.4 Margins: - Head, Neck
MARYBOROUGH 06/07/25
Trial 1: - OUTMAZING NZ was a dominant winner of the opening trial after trailing the leader and finishing off well. BAKER CREEK NZ finished in second after setting the speed and backed up with an unplaced effort at Ballarat on Thursday night. THINKFAST RUNFAST settled three back on the markers, moved up without cover at the 800m and was battling it out for second with BIZNESS CLASS, which came from last of the four runners, before the pair locked wheels with 100m remaining and lost all of their momentum.
Mile Rate: - 2.5.1 Last Half: - 59.8 Margins: - 12m, head
Trial 3: - SIR VINCENT hasn’t raced since March but was able to lead throughout and win his trial by a handy margin over LET’S GO LORNA, which settled three back on the markers and made a move from the 700m mark. BARBADOS ROSE finished in third after settling four back on the markers and following LETS GO LORNA throughout. RYTA put in a reasonable performance after breaking at the start and missing approximately 50m. She was held up for a run at a vital stage on the home turn and finished ahead of BETTING ATTACK (trailed leader).
Last Mile: - 2.2.1 Last Half: - 58.7 Margins: - 10m, 4m
Trial 5: - LOUGLE settled three back on the markers and came to the outside at the 600m mark. He sprinted sharply and was able to sustain the run to win the trial comfortably. PETREOS finished in second after setting up a moderate tempo in the leading role. METRO MAORI trailed the leader throughout and finished in third with REDROCK HOODOO being last across the line after settling at the tail of the field and trying to make a run from the bell.
Mile Rate: - 2.5.4 Last Half: - 58.3 Margins: - 8m, 25m
KYABRAM 06/07/25
Trial 1: - I AM ON THERUN is a son of Catch Me If Youcan and had four starts last preparation for four seconds. His last run was in January and he was able to dead heat for first in his comeback trial so he should be competitive when he steps out to the races again this preparation. ROCKET ME hasn’t raced since a sixth at Bendigo in April. He defeated I AM ON THERUN by a head margin at Cobram in January and was involved in the dead-heat in the trial so there is obviously not much separating the pair on ability. ROCKET ME is an emergency at Shepparton on Tuesday night. LUNADIVA, an unraced filly for trainer Graham Lyon, was the third horse across the line.
Mile Rate: - 2.10.9 Last Half: - 61.2 Margins: - Dead Heat, 4m
MILDURA 07/07/25
Trial 1: - ONLY ONCE BITTEN NZ led out then took cover behind MY ULTIMATE LEVI. He moved to the outside when turning for home and was able to get up and get the prize. MY ULTIMATE LEVI pushed forward to find the lead, ran along at an even tempo and battled on quite well in the run to the finish. OZZIE DAYBREAK settled last of the trio, came to the outside at the 500m, got to second before rolling a bit wider on the home turn and battling into third position. Both the winner and the runner up of the trial are competing at Mildura this afternoon.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.5 Last Half: - 58.7 Margins: - 1m, 8m
Trial 2: - MIDNIGHT PIRATE raced without cover early before progressing forward to find the lead with 1800m remaining. He set up a moderate speed and had a good kick left in the run to the finish. FLYIN TOMMY finished in second position after leading out then taking cover. Both MIDNIGHT PIRATE and FLYIN TOMMY are competing at Mildura this afternoon. CONNIES PRESIDENT NZ has recently come down to Victoria from Queensland and is preparing for the trotting events at Mildura. She produced a very good effort against the pacers to finish in third. She settled last of the five runners, made a move to park without cover from the 900m mark and battled on well in the run to the finish.
Mie Rate: - 2.5.9 Last Half: - 60.0 Margins: - 3m, 6m
Trial 4: - POTTSY THE GURU has had a few gait issues to start his career but he is really starting to put it altogether. He settled four back on the markers, was detached from the main group with a lap remaining and made up many lengths in the final quarter to win the trial impressively. OUR MASTER PLAY finished in second after attempting to lead throughout and will be backing up at Mildura this afternoon. MAGGACIS finished third and battled on well after leaving the trailing position of three back on the markers to park without cover for the final 1000m. ROCKING WROXTON was fourth after trailing the leader throughout.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.5 Last Half: - 61.5 Margins: - 2m, 3m
BENDIGO 07/07/25
Trial 3: - KYVALLEY MISTY began swiftly from the standing start and found the front. She set up a slow tempo but she appeared to be very strong in the run to the finish, winning with plenty in reserve. She is competing in a standing start event at Shepparton on Tuesday night and must be given a winning chance. FROSTY GIRL NZ settled in third position and came to the outside with 500m remaining. She worked into second place but couldn’t match her stable mate in the run to the finish. HIS DEVIL INSIDE stepped away briskly from the standing start to find the position behind the leader. He finished a distant third but he is an unraced juvenile and was taking on older performers, which are proven race winners.
Mile Rate: - 2.11.9 Last Half: - 60.7 Margins: - 10m, 40m
Trial 4: - MICHEN ROY trailed the leader early before pushing around to find the front running role with 1700m remaining. He dominated his rivals thereafter and scored by a large margin. He is backing up at Melton this evening. ONECROWDEDHOUR finished second after settling four back on the markers and working through nicely via the passing lane. KIDWITHAGRIN was able to hold onto third after racing fiercely in the leading role early then taking cover behind the eventual winner. SO JOE RAN settled down last of the six runners, came out three horses wide at the 300m mark and made ground over the latter stages. He is making his debut at Shepparton on Tuesday night.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.6 Last Half: - 59.8 Margins: - 14m, 4m
Trial 6: - HURRIKANE KATIE has joined trainer John Tormey since her latest performance and produced an impressive display. She settled six back on the markers, moved into the running lane in the back straight on the final occasion and produced a big finishing burst from the home turn to win. To make it even more impressive was the fact she defeated PICKET WIRE, which boasts a National Rating that is eighteen points higher and has been competitive at Metropolitan level previously. PICKET WIRE was without cover early before angling onto the markers to sit in the trail behind the leader I AM HARRO. She came to the outside with 500m remaining and hit the lead on the turn but couldn’t repel the challenge of the winner. MAORI FRANKLIN trailed the leader early and ended up being three back on the markers. He raced fiercely in the middle stages and finished off quite well via the sprint lane for third. FRANKYTHEFRENCHMAN ran into fourth after settling down last of the seven runners shortly after the start and the early leader I AM HARRO ended up being the fifth horse across the line. FRANKYTHEFRENCHMAN is backing up at Melton this evening.
Mile Rate: - 2.7.1 Last Half: - 61.0 Margins: - 4m, 3m
BLACKBOOKER: - Hurrikane Katie
TERANG 08/07/25
Trial 2: - ROADMASTER trailed the leader MIKI STEAMED HOME and came to the outside with 300m remaining. He finished off in a slick final half of 56.6 seconds and claimed victory on the line. MIKI STEAMED HOME set the speed and went down fighting in second spot. Considering he has a National Rating of 56 and the winner ROADMASTER has a rating of 88, his run was excellent and he might be able to win first up for the Matthew Craven stable at Hamilton on Monday. BANKSOFTHEMURRAY was three back on the markers throughout and couldn’t go with his two stable mates over the latter stages.
Mile Rate: - 1.59.0 Last Half: - 56.6 Margins: - Neck, 30m
BLACKBOOKER: - Miki Steamed Home
Trial 3: - KEAYANG MEMORY is a close relation to Royal Division and recorded a comfortable victory albeit in slow time in the third event. He was four back on the markers in the early stages, circled around the field to find the lead at the 1400m and proved to be too strong in the run to the finish. COOKIE DOUGH began quickly to lead, took cover behind the eventual winner and waited for the sprint lane. He was second across the line with the handy trotter KEAYANG KUKRI being in third after ending up being three back on the markers and moving up without cover at the 500m mark.
Mile Rate: - 2.6.4 Last Half: - 60.0 Margins: - 8m, 4m
MELTON ENTERTAINMENT PARK 08/07/25
Trial 3: - ALDEBARAN JAZMINE is a beautifully bred filly being by Muscle Hill out of the classy race mare Endsino (1.58.1, $185,203). She is related to Aldebaran Jensen (1.54.4, $139,876), which has done a good job in New South Wales and her grandam Jauriol (1.59.9, $248,824) was a Group 1 winner. She settled down last in the trial, was a clear last at the bell and finished off swiftly under a strong hold to win easily so she might be worth following. IM HAVINTOTROT finished in second position after trying to lead throughout. TIPPLE TIME trailed the leader, went back to the sprint lane and wanted to hang in badly down the straight. He was the third horse across the line.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.5 Last Half: - 61.2 Margins: - 1.75m, 9m
BLACKBOOKER: - Aldebaran Jazmine
Trial 4: - LOOK LIKE DIAMONDS settled three back on the markers, moved to the outside with 600m remaining and sprinted home too well in a slick final half of 56.7 seconds to win the trial. FUN TO LOVE NZ trailed the leader, before moving into the one out and one back trail behind LOOK LIKE DIAMONDS approaching the home turn. He battled on well for second with the early leader STARZZZ DESTINY being the third horse across the line.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.9 Last Half: - 56.7 Margins: - 4m, 21m
Trial 6: - SUMTHIN ELSE had two starts during her first preparation in a heat and in the final of the Nutrien Classic. She was able beat a handy field in her trial victory after she settled three back on the markers and came to the outside with 800m remaining. G B BRAVE NZ finished in second after trying to lead throughout. KITZBUHEL DELIGHT was the third horse across the line after trailing the leader and using the sprint lane. He hasn’t started since winning the Nutrien Classic in April and he wanted to race very greenly over the final stages of the trial, hanging in noticeably when using the sprint lane.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.4 Last Half: - 57.5 Margins: - 1.5m, 5m
BLACKBOOKER: - Sumthin Else
Trial 7: - LADY VICI continued her good trial form with a victory over RUBYS DREAM. She trailed the leader, came to the outside at the 500m mark and held off her rivals in the run to the post. RUBYS DREAM finished in second after settling down last of the four runners and angling wide with 150m remaining. She finished off fast without being fully extended so it was an eye-catching performance. MEGA SPUR was the third horse across the line after being three back on the markers and moving into the one out and one back trail from the 500m mark. Both RUBYS DREAM and MEGA SPUR appear to be good winning hopes in the Mares Sprint Championship Final at Melton tomorrow night. The early leader GEE CEE CALDER wanted to race fiercely in the middle stages and was the last horse home but he wasn’t beaten by a big margin.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.1 Last Half: - 59.7 Margins: - 3m, 1m