Harness Racing form guru Craig Rail noticed several standout performers at the recent trials.
Dynamitedan caught the eye when he won a trial comfortably, appearing to have something in reserve at the finish.
Talented trotter Remus Phoenix sustained a strong run to win his Melton Entertainment Park trial impressively.
In an Ideal World is also a horse to follow.
SHEPPARTON 24/04/25
Trial 1: - ALOT LIKE JEANNIE began quickly and was without cover early before working to the front. She took cover at the 1100m and commenced her winning move from the quarter pole. She won comfortably and recorded reasonable time. TOUCH OF REALITY led out then took cover and ended up being three back on the markers. He worked into second position and finished well clear of VINNIES HOPE, which began slowly and settled a clear last of the quartet early. THAT’S ME AGAIN worked to the front at the 1100m but couldn’t sustain the run and was the last runner to cross the line.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.5 Last Half: - 58.6 Margins: - 8m, 15m
Trial 2: - CROCODILE SOCKS settled three back on the inside and circled around to find the lead at the 1700m mark. He set up a slow tempo early but finished off in reasonable final sectionals to win by a comfortable margin, seemingly with plenty in reserve. ALIZA HILL led out then took cover and finished in second position. The trotter SEBASTIANS BOY settled four back on the markers, came to the outside at the 500m mark and finished off nicely into third. He followed up with a fifth placed effort behind Pinnie at Melton on Saturday night.
Mile Rate: - 2.4.2 Last Half: - 58.9 Margins: - 6m, 2m
Trial 4: - SERG BLANCO NZ was without cover in the early stages before restraining to be last of the three runners. He came to the outside with 300m remaining and finished off in slick final sectionals to win impressively. FRANCO NOVELIST NZ set up a genuine tempo in the lead and finished in second with TRIPLE FOUR NZ being the last horse to complete the course after trailing the leader throughout. TRIPLE FOUR NZ is resuming at Bendigo on Wednesday night.
Mile Rate: - 1.58.0 Last Half: - 56.6 Margins: - 8m, 2m
BACCHUS MARSH 26/04/25
Trial 1: - FREMARKSTILLY hasn’t raced since breaking stride and losing her chance on March 01. She won five races in a row at the turn of the season but broke stride at her last three attempts and was sent for a spell. Her trial win by a comfortable margin is encouraging. SILENT REVERIE hasn’t raced since December but managed to fill second spot ahead of NUCLEAR ATTITUDE and LARAS DREAM.
Mile Rate: - 2.4.0 Last Half: - 60.7 Margins: - 8m, 2m
Trial 2: - ALBY TWO CHAINS has recently returned from Tasmania, where he had a campaign of five starts, which yielded the one success. He finished off in a brilliant final half of 55.9 seconds to win the open class trial. SCHERGER THAT has been racing in good form and was beaten by a slender margin in fast time. He finished fifth at Geelong on Friday night. SEBS CHOICE was two metres away in third position and CLASSY OPERATOR NZ was last of the four runners across the line. CLASSY OPERATOR NZ ran his best race for some time when third at Melton on Saturday night.
Mile Rate: - 1.59.9 Last Half: - 55.9 Margins: - Head, 2m
Trial 3: - SPORTY PHILTRA was a winner at Shepparton in February and kept the momentum rolling with a trial success in reasonable time. She backed up with a victory at Geelong on Friday night. SUPER CODE has joined trainer Colin Holloway since his latest unplaced run at Mildura in December, where he broke stride in the latter stages. He was second past the post and finished ahead of YANKEE RAIN with GOODTIME MAE being the fourth horse across the line.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.0 Last Half: - 58.2 Margins: - 2m, 3m
Trial 6: - MY BAD hasn’t raced since November but he was able to win by a comfortable margin in reasonable time. He has a very low National Rating of 46 so he can be well placed in the near future. THE FINAL DANCE is an unraced juvenile for trainer Frank Vallelonga and finished in second. HIGHLAND BRETT finished in third position and was well ahead of SHEER ME.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.9 Last Half: - 60.3 Margins: - 8m, 2.5m
Trial 7: - ZU HOFFEN finished unplaced at Geelong last outing and is yet to be placed in Victoria but he indicated that he could improve on that record with a runaway victory, working home his last 800m in 58.8 seconds. He defeated SWEET EMMYLOU NZ with MY GUARANTEE being a further twenty-five metres away in third position.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.4 Last Half: - 58.8 Margins: - 20m, 25m
ECHUCA 27/04/25
Trial 1: - DALLAS MIKI has been racing in good form at Mildura and continued the trend with a trial victory at Echuca, where he led throughout. He backed up with a ninth placed effort at Mildura on Friday and will be racing again on Tuesday. LINE DANCE has been racing in New South Wales and finished in second position after trailing the leader and angling to the outside at the 150m. COTCHINELLIE was last of the three runners for the duration.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.0 Last Half: - 59.4 Margins: - 5m, 2m
BENDIGO 28/04/25
Trial 1: - The smart mare KISS NZ was able to win her comeback trial after settling five back on the inside and moving to the outside with 800m remaining. CENTOFELLIE settled three back on the inside and tried hard for second. She backed up with a tenth placed effort at Melton on Saturday night. YAPPER was the third horse across the line ahead of ILLUSTRIOUS NZ, which settled four back on the inside and pulled hard in the run. ILLUSTRIOUS NZ will be competing at Bendigo on Wednesday night.
Mile Rate: - 1.59.5 Last Half: - 58.6 Margins: - 3m, 2m
Trial 2: - CHAINSMOKE settled three back on the markers and moved to the outside with 500m remaining. He finished off best to win nicely and continued his very good trial form. He should prove hard to beat at Bendigo on Wednesday night. LOUCASSO was five back on the inside early, moved to fourth with a half mile remaining and ran home nicely for second. LUVN MARY began quickly to lead, kicked clear at the 500m mark and was run down over the final stages. ALCATRAZ MISS finished a distant fourth after trailing the leader throughout and will be competing at Bendigo on Wednesday night.
Mile Rate: - 1.57.5 Last Half: - 57.4 Margins: - 5m, 9m
Trial 4: - DYNAMITEDAN was without cover early, raced fiercely and worked his way to the front with a lap remaining. He won comfortably and appeared to have something in reserve at the finish. SHEMEANSBUSINESS showed very good gate speed to lead, took cover and held her own in the run to the finish. ATUA MAGIC NZ settled five back on the markers, raced roughly at the 600m and moved off the inside at the 400m mark. She finished off well in a quick last quarter of 28.6 seconds to work into third position.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.4 Last Half: - 60.2 Margins: - 4m, 4m
BLACKBOOKER: - Dynamitedan
Trial 5: - RAPID RETURN settled four back on the inside, moved into the death seat at the 500m and finished off very quickly to win by a large margin. LUVSKI began quickly to find the lead and was run down over the final stages. LEOTARDANDLACE was the third horse across the line after settling four back on the markers and moving into the death seat at the 500m mark.
Mile Rate: - 2.4.9 Last Half: - 61.2 Margins: - 9m, 25m
MELTON ENTERTAINMENT PARK 29/04/25
Trial 2: - MASTER LOUEY settled three back on the inside, angled out three horses wide on the home turn and raced greenly but finished off stylishly to win the trial by a comfortable margin. He got into trouble on his debut performance at Cranbourne on Sunday night and failed to beat a runner to the line. COCOSWORLD trailed the leader and moved to the outside at the 300m mark. He tried hard for second with RAZOR HORIZON being third across the line after setting the speed.
Mile Rate: - 2.6.4 Last Half: - 60.1 Margins: - 5.5m, 2.5m
Trial 3: - COMMODUS began brilliantly to lead clearly and ran along at a genuine tempo. He maintained a good lead throughout and was extremely impressive, winning in fast time. TRACY THE JET trailed the leader throughout and finished in second with HIGHPOINT running a distant third. ALLRIGHTY settled fourth back on the markers, got to third at the 600m mark but broke stride with 300m remaining.
Mile Rate: - 1.59.5 Last Half: - 57.1 Margins: - 25m, 48m
Trial 4: - RAGING WHITEBAIT NZ began quickly to lead and set up a moderate tempo before sprinting home in a sizzling final quarter of 26.5 seconds to get the prize. He followed with a seventh at Melton on Saturday night. COLLECTIVE WORKS sat in the trail, came to the outside at the 300m mark and did well to run RAGING WHITEBAIT NZ down to a metre. He worked to the front in the early stages and finished fifth at Melton on Saturday night. ELUSIVE was last of the three runners throughout.
Mile Rate: - 1.55.4 Last Half: - 55.5 Margins: - 1m, 11m
Trial 5: - ROCKNROLL ROCKET began quickly to find the lead, set up a slow tempo and finished off in a slick final quarter of 56.3 seconds to win by a comfortable margin. He followed with a fourth placed effort at Cranbourne on Sunday night. SEND IN ELVIS trailed the leader throughout and held his own over the latter stages to finish in second. HYKEEPMEPOSTED settled three back on the markers, moved to the outside at the 700m mark and hung in over the latter stages. He battled on okay in the straight for third position and backed up with a seventh placed effort at Cranbourne on Sunday night.
Mile Rate: - 1.59.8 Last Half: - 56.3 Margins: - 4m, 1m
Trial 7: - REMUS PHOENIX settled three back on the markers, moved to the outside at the 500m and sustained a strong run to win impressively. HATCHBACK began quickly and attempted to lead throughout. He did run a slick final quarter but couldn’t match the speed of the winner. WATTS UP RAPTOR trailed the leader throughout but broke stride with 300m remaining and lost his chance.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.0 Last Half: - 58.4 Margins: - 4m, 79m
BLACKBOOKER: - Remus Phoenix
Trial 8: - IN AN IDEAL WORLD settled three back on the inside, moved around to find the lead at the 1100m mark and ran along at a rapid rate. He charged away from his rivals and scored in a sizzling mile rate of 1.53.6, recording a winning margin of twenty-eight metres. He was narrowly beaten at Cranbourne on Sunday night. DOUGS FLAME settled down in sixth position, moved up without cover at the 900m and was forced out three horses wide at the 300m mark. He kept on chasing hard and did a good job to finish in second spot. He followed with a seventh placed effort at Melton on Saturday night. PLATINUM JIVE NZ raced without cover early, restrained to be seventh on the inside and followed behind DOUGS FLAME in the final lap, battling on well for third.
Mile Rate: - 1.53.6 Last Half: - 55.2 Margins: - 28m, 1m