Four pacers in new hands caught the eye on the Victorian trials circuit this week.
Caster Semenya is a Kiwi who's joined Josh Dickie and Sammy Kilgour and stepped out impressively at Melton when she speared through along the sprint lane.
Similarly, Evie Beautiful has also booked a spot in the Trial File Blackbook.
Originally with Emma Stewart but unraced since 2020, the Somebeach Somewhere mare is now with Danny O'Brien and was an eye-catcher at Maryborough, getting home in 56.6 seconds.
Stewart also had an impressive performer in Serengetti Sunrise, who's crossed from Marg Lee's camp. He got home in 28.1 seconds to win softly.
And the last of the four Blackbook additions this week was Frank Burns, a former NZ pacer who has joined Kelvin Barker's camp and "came from three back on the markers to be beaten narrowly" in his trial.
Scroll down for their replays and the highlights from the Victorian circuit, with the updated Blackbook at the bottom of the page.
BACCHUS MARSH 08/10/22
Trial 1: - CHERMEAR PRINCESS is a filly by Yankee Rockstar, which has already posted a win at Warragul this season. She missed out in a heat of the Homegrown Classic last outing but bounced back at the trials with a victory over CANT EATOVERS, an unraced gelding by Four Starzzz Shark for trainer Tayla Nicholson. CINCINNATI finished a close up third for trainer Michael Cole.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.8 Last Half: - 59.8 Margins: - ½ head, 2.5m
Trial 3: - SWISS MISS NZ has a National Rating of 71 and was clearly the class runner of the trial but she scored by a large margin and recorded a handy mile rate of 2.2.3. She takes on a very strong field at Geelong this evening but she might run a cheeky race at odds. ONE OVER DA SON NZ finished in second position and was well ahead of REINE DE LA LUNE.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.3 Last Half: - 61.5 Margins: - 35m, 15m
Trial 4: - ITS BACK IN THE DAY NZ was able to win the trial for the open class pacers by a narrow margin. He just defeated SOMEBEACHSHADOW, which will return from a spell in the final event at Melton tomorrow night, with JEAN LUC NZ being in third. There wasn’t much ground covering the field of five runners with LOMBO HEAVEN and THE BIG END OFTOWN both being close up.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.5 Last Half: - 58.7 Margins: - Head, 2m
Trial 6: - MORVAH strikes a suitable race at Geelong this evening and he would have gained some confidence with his trial victory over the National Rating 65 assessed pacer OUR MONEY ROCKS. He finished off in a handy final half of 57.8 seconds so he should run a good race tonight. OUR MONEY ROCKS will make his Victorian debut at Melton on Monday.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.8 Last Half: - 57.8 Margins: - 2.5m, 3m
MARYBOROUGH 09/10/22
Trial 1: - EVIE BEAUTIFUL was formerly prepared by trainer Emma Stewart and had two starts in 2020 for a win and a third. She is now trained by Danny O’Brien and won the opening trial after trailing the leader and using the sprint lane. She enjoyed a lovely trip but it was a tidy performance considering she hasn’t raced for two years and the final half was recorded in 56.6 seconds. DANCE FOR ME finished second after setting the speed and GOBSMACKED was third after settling three back on the inside.
Mile Rate: - 1.59.9 Last Half: - 56.6 Margins: - 1m, 6m
BLACKBOOKER: - Evie Beautiful
Trial 2: - BLAKE BOLAC showed brilliant gate speed to get across and find the lead then dominated his rivals to win easily. He is a handy juvenile pacer and has already registered a win this season so he should continue to race well. NOTHINGBUTWAVES trailed the leader and battled on well for second with FAIR CHANCE being in third after settling four back on the inside and coming out three horses wide on the home turn. NOTHINGBUTWAVES makes his debut for trainer Nigel Milne at Maryborough on Sunday.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.7 Last Half: - 57.3 Margins: - 4m, 4m
Trial 3: - LESTER continued his good trial form with an easy victory after he led throughout. He seemingly had something left in reserve so has definitely improved with a break. He looms as one of the leading chances in his event at Maryborough on Sunday. VAPAR BRENDA should also perform well at Maryborough. She was without cover early, restrained to be last on the inside and came out three wide horses wide at the 400m. She hit the line strongly to finish a game second.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.4 Last Half: - 57.9 Margins: - 2m, 8m
Trial 5: - IM PRINCESS BELLA was without cover early, pushed forward to find the lead at the 1700m and ran along at a genuine tempo when she won easily. She returns from a break at Maryborough on Sunday afternoon and should prove hard to beat. TOOBY GOLD settled last of the five runners, made his move at the 700m and finished off well to fill second position. TARIFA GIRL led out then took cover and finished in third spot.
Mile Rate: - 1.58.8 Last Half: - 57.1 Margins: - 3m, 8m
Trial 6: - MCARDOM has sound trial form and hasn’t been able to replicate it at the races as yet but he might be able to go nicely first up at Maryborough on Sunday. He trailed the leader, used the sprint lane and fired through to score from ISABELLA PRINCESS, which settled three back on the inside. NAI HARN BAY dropped back to be last of the seven runners early, moved up without cover at the 1100m and fought on solidly for third.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.5 Last Half: - 58.1 Margins: - Neck, 1m
Trial 7: - TRAVEL BUG settled three back on the inside, moved away from the markers at the 400m and finished off best to score under the standing start conditions. CHISSY put in a good effort to finish second after settling in last position and poking through the middle late without being pushed at any stage.
Mile Rate: - 2.4.1 Last Half: - 60.2 Margins: - 1m, 1m
TABCORP PARK, MELTON 10/10/22
Trial 2: - SEVENTY FOUR GEE is a former New South Wales trained pacer, which has recently joined trainer Alex Freeman. He settled three back on the markers, made a move from the 1500m mark to find the lead and was untouched in winning comfortably. OUR PRINCESS DI trailed the leader early, ended up being three back on the markers and gained a one out and one back trail from the 700m. She finished second with LIZZY MAC being third after breaking stride in the score up then again at the 1200m mark. OUR PRINCESS DI is not without a chance at Maryborough on Sunday. The interesting runner in the trial was the yearling pacer TOMAHAWK BART (Sweet Lou – Lierre Noir (1.54.4, $131,629). He is closely related to the two proven winners Classicmajor and Larvotto Beach and considering he won’t officially be a two years old until January 01, he did an amazing job to finish in fourth position.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.1 Last Half: - 56.77 Margins: - 6m, 26m
Trial 5: - SHEZA PLEASURE settled three back on the inside, moved into the death seat at the 400m and was able to win without being fully extended. She is at her peak form but is very awkwardly drawn in the Maori Miss Free For All at Melton tomorrow night. MEGEVE put in a very good performance to finish second. She began quickly and was going to lead early but broke stride and lost approximately twenty metres. She was last of the four runners for the majority of the trial before finishing off nicely late to snare second. The three years old trotter BE MY STAR was competing against older and stronger opposition so she did well after setting the speed to finish a close up third. She is competing at Melton on Monday afternoon. TENNERSON wasn’t beaten by far after trailing the leader throughout in a good finish.
Mile Rate: - 2.7.6 Last Half: - 59.32 Margins: - Neck, 1.5m
Trial 6: - Only three runners contested the open class pacers trial with WILLIE GO WEST NZ getting the prize. It was a slowly run trial but WILLIE GO WEST NZ delivered a tidy performance to come from last and win in a sizzling final quarter of 26.85 seconds. YAMBUKIAN finished second after setting the speed and SANDAY held his ground in the straight to finish third.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.5 Last Half: - 56.72 Margins: - ½ neck, 4m
Trial 7: - IM READY JET hasn’t started since winning the Sumthingaboutmaori Trot in March but she appears to be at her peak and should be competitive against the elite trotters this preparation. She was last of the three runners, moved to the outside with 400m remaining and showed very good acceleration at the end. ALDEBARAN CRESCENT finished second after setting the speed and ALWAYS READY (trailed leader) was the last horse across the line. ALDEBARAN CRESCENT returns from a break in the Maori Miss Free For All at Melton tomorrow night, where she is poorly drawn.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.5 Last Half: - 57.45 Margins: - 2.5m, 4.5m
Trial 8: - CASTER SEMENYA NZ is a former New Zealand pacer, which had one start across the Tasman for a third in a mile rate of 1.55.3. She appeared to be very sharp in her trial victory over YOUNGGIFTEDANDBLACK NZ after she sat in the trail behind that filly and speared through along the sprint lane. She appears to be very talented and is worth following. YOUNGGIFTEDANDBLACK NZ set up a genuine tempo and was far from disgraced in second position so she should prove hard to beat from the pole position at Maryborough on Sunday. MON SOLEIL finished a distant third in the trial after settling three back on the inside.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.0 Last Half: - 57.31 Margins: - Head, 8m
BLACKBOOKER: - Caster Semenya NZ
Trial 9: - POWER UP NZ hasn’t raced since a victory at Shepparton in July but he produced a good performance to win his trial in fast time. He led out then took cover behind DUFFY HOLLOW NZ before firing along the sprint lane over the concluding stages. FRANK BURNS NZ is a former New Zealand pacer, which has joined trainer Kelvin Barker. His form across the Tasman is sound and he came from three back on the markers to be beaten narrowly in the trial so he is worth following. CAPTAIN WILSON came from last to pick up third and the early leader DUFFY HOLLOW NZ tired into fourth after racing fiercely throughout.
Mile Rate: - 1.57.4 Last Half: - 58.59 Margins: - Neck, 3.5m
BLACKBOOKER: - Frank Burns NZ
Trial 10: - HOPEFUL BEAUTY FRA settled down last of the four runners and produced a big finish to win impressively. CUCHULAINN NZ stepped away fairly well to be second early and found the lead at the 1600m. He was overtaken in the initial stages of the home straight but came again late without being fully extended so it was a good effort leading up to the Maryborough Cup on Sunday.
Mile Rate: - 2.6.0 Last Half: - 57.81 Margins: - 4m, 14.5m
BALLARAT 10/10/22
Trial 2: - SERENGETI SUNRISE recently joined the Emma Stewart stable and performed well enough at his trial victory to warrant respect for his first up run at Tabcorp Park, Melton on Monday. He settled three back on the inside, moved around the field to lead at the 1400m mark and dashed home in a slick final quarter of 28.1 seconds to win softly. YOUR A SHOCKER has also changed stables since his latest performance and performed well enough to suggest he could win a race in the near future. He led out then took cover behind SERENGETI SUNRISE at the 1400m.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.6 Last Half: - 57.2 Margins: - 4m, 2m
BLACKBOOKER: - Serengeti Sunrise
Trial 4: - VAN MARA NZ hasn’t raced since being unplaced in the Ouyen Cup back in March. He has joined trainer Kelvin Barker and finished off in a slick final half of 55.4 seconds to comfortably hold IDYLLIC (trailed leader) at bay. He might be hard to place considering he has a National Rating of 111 but he did appear back to near his peak form at his trial victory.
Mile Rate: - 1.58.6 Last Half: - 55.4 Margins: - 2m, 15m
