Harness racing form guru Craig Rail noticed several standout performers at the recent trials.
Most notably, Breeders Crown winner Violet Stanford dazzled at Cobram. First-up since November, she cruised to victory and looked to have plenty in reserve.
Its Confidential also caught the eye, leading throughout and holding off a late challenge from his stablemate in a sharp final half of 56.6 seconds. Now bound for Melton on Saturday night, he looks a genuine winning chance.
COBRAM 26/06/25
Trial 2: - ISLAND YANKEE trailed the leader and used the sprint lane. He showed very good acceleration at the end and grabbed victory on the line. USYK finished in second after attempting to lead throughout. He backed up at Shepparton on Tuesday night and ran a reasonable race for fourth after racing without cover throughout. CATIES SON was the third horse across the line after settling four back on the markers, moving to the outside at the 500m mark and joining the leader on the home turn. He also produced a handy effort when he backed up at Shepparton on Tuesday night as he finished second behind the smart filly Ride The Highs. He is also scheduled to race at Echuca on Tuesday night.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.8 Last Half: - 57.8 Margins: - Nose, 2m
Trial 3: - VIOLET STANFORD hasn’t raced since winning the Breeders Crown in November but she has obviously come back in terrific order. She was without cover in the early stages, restrained to be three back on the markers and moved to the outside with 500m remaining. She got up to win on the line but was under a throttle hold and appeared to have plenty in reserve. REY BAILANDO began quickly to find the lead and fought on well in the run to the finish, being beaten by a narrow margin. He has been withdrawn out of his race at Melton on Saturday night. DANCE FIGHTER finished in third position after trailing the leader throughout.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.5 Last Half: - 59.7 Margins: - Nose, 30m
BLACKBOOKER: - Violet Stanford
Trial 4: - ITS CONFIDENTIAL began quickly to find the lead with his stable mate JACKS ULTIMATE FURY NZ sitting in the trail. JACKS ULTIMATE FURY NZ came to the outside at the 300m and chased hard with the pair staging a good duel down the straight. ITS CONFIDENTIAL was able to cling on and get the prize with the final half being posted in a slick 56.6 seconds. Both horses were nominated for the Rising Sun in Queensland but missed a start. JACKS ULTIMATE FURY NZ has been withdrawn out of the Consolation and ITS CONFIDENTIAL has been switched to Melton on Saturday night, where he must be considered as a winning chance. BUOY was last of the three runners throughout.
Mile Rate: - 1.59.6 Last Half: - 56.6 Margins: - Nose, Distanced
BLACKBOOKER: - ITS CONFIDENTIAL
Trial 5: - ATOMIC BLACK settled four back on the markers and moved to the outside at the 700m. He sustained a strong run and dashed clear in the run to the finish. He backed up with a big victory at Kilmore on Thursday night. TOBYS SHOUT trailed the leader and moved around to find the lead at the 1400m. He found ATOMIC BLACK to be too strong for him but he was able to hold down second from KUALIGHT, which was three back on the markers for the duration.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.1 Last Half: - 60.8 Margins: - 15m, 1m
MILDURA 27/06/25
Trial 1: - SHE WHO DARES is a former New South Wales pacer, which joins trainer Naomi Kerr. She was able to win the trial by a good margin and will make her Mildura debut this afternoon. BETTER DOO NZ finished in second position and was safely clear of his stable mate INDIANAS SON.
Mile Rate: - 2.5.3 Last Half: - 59.8 Margins: - 12.5m, 5m
BACCHUS MARSH 28/06/25
Trial 2: - VOUCHER QUEEN is an unraced juvenile trotting filly for trainer Alison Alford. She is by Andover Hall out of the unraced mare Hilary Hill, which has already produced the handy performer Keayang Kurki (1.59.7, $78,885). She won the trial over TIPPLE TIME, which boasted handy trial form at the beginning of the season. TIPPLE TIME has been withdrawn out of his assignment at Melton this evening. FRENCH MISSILE finished a further ten metres away in third position.
Mile Rate: - 2.9.6 Last Half: - 64.1 Margins: - 8m, 10m
Trial 3: - JUSTALITTLESIP NZ won the open class trial by a good margin and posted a slick final quarter of 28.3 seconds. He is backing up at Melton tomorrow night. CLASSY OPERATOR NZ finished in second position and was nominated for Melton on Friday night, Melton on Saturday night and Cranbourne on Sunday. He is a reserve at both Melton meetings but gets his chance against a small field at Cranbourne on Sunday. SPORTY PHILTRA was last of the three runners across the line but her National Rating of 50 was a long way short of the first two horses across the line. She is backing up at Melton this evening.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.9 Last Half: - 56.6 Margins: - 15m, 3m
Trial 6: - GEE CEE CALDER is returning to Victoria after stints in Queensland and New South Wales. He hasn’t started since being unplaced at Menangle in May but he was able to record handy time in his victory over the pacers. He was in winning form locally before heading North. BLACK TUXEDO finished a head away in second position with LADY VICI being the third horse across the line. JEREMY LOU and VIVA STORM finished fourth and fifth respectively and both horses were nominated for the meeting at Melton this evening.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.5 Last Half: - 60.0 Margins: - Head, 4m
Trial 7: - UNCLAD hasn’t raced since an impressive victory at Melton in April. She is a classy juvenile filly for trainer Alison Alford and was able to beat older horses with aplomb, scoring by five lengths at the finish. MAJESTIC PARTY BOY finished in second position ahead of DANCE WITH ROXY, which is an unraced filly by Rock N Roll Heaven out of the former handy mare Misschanel (1.57.5, $49,122). DANCE WITH ROXY will be making her debut at Cranbourne on Sunday evening.
Mile Rate: - 2.10.3 Last Half: - 61.8 Margins: - 15m, 5m
MARYBOROUGH 29/06/25
Trial 1: - INTO THE HARKNESS was able to defeat her stable mate OUTMAZING NZ by a narrow margin and both horses performed nicely. INTO THE HARKNESS led throughout and OUTMAZING came to the outside from the trail in the home straight. There was a nose between the pair at the finish and the last quarter was run in a sharp 28.0 seconds. INTO THE HARKNESS is engaged to compete at Charlton on Monday afternoon.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.7 Last Half: - 58.6 Margin: - Nose
Trial 4: - TRAVEL BUG hasn’t started since being on the Country Cups trail last season with his last three attempts being a win in the Gawler Cup, a tenth in the South Australian Cup and an eighth in the St Arnaud Cup. He has been going nicely at the trials and was able to defeat the pacers in the final event after leading throughout. He returns from a spell at Melton on Saturday night, where he has drawn awkwardly. LOUGLE had a few trials for trainer David Aiken in New South Wales before switching to Gerard Jamieson. He was second across the line and ROCKNMETRO was the last horse to complete the course.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.6 Last Half: - 58.9 Margins: - 4m, 100m
ECHUCA 29/06/25
Trial 2: - BITTA IRISH LUCK was clearly the class runner of the field and was allowed to settle down in last position. She circled around the field to find the lead with 1200m remaining and was comfortable in scoring. She will need to go a lot quicker if she is to win at Melton on Saturday night but she should have gained plenty of confidence from her effortless trial victory. MADGE EGAN led out then took cover behind the eventual winner and ended up being second across the line. She will be competing at Echuca on Tuesday night. MALHANA MUSCLES trailed the leader early then was shuffled to three back on the markers before coming to the outside at the 500m mark. He finished in third with A TRUE STORY NZ (3 back markers then 4 back) being the last horse home after being held up for a run at a vital stage. A TRUE STORY NZ will make his Australian debut at Charlton on Monday afternoon.
Mile Rate: - 2.6.2 Last Half: - 59.3 Margins: - 3m, 1m
Trial 3: - SOHO PLAYGIRL quickly bounced back after her disappointing tenth at Shepparton a week earlier. She led out then took cover and came away from the inside to win by a narrow margin. She has drawn awkwardly at Echuca on Tuesday night. STAG PARTY NZ was without cover early before progressing forward to find the lead and was run down on the line. WICKED WIZARD was last of the three runners throughout. He will be backing up at Echuca on Tuesday night.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.3 Last Half: - 59.3 Margins: - Nose, 10m
MELTON ENTERTAINMENT PARK 01/07/25
Trial 1: - LOUCASSO has already won the Australian Gold Graduate this season and finished second in the Ballarat Rising Star at his latest attempt. He was able to lead throughout in the opening trial to defeat his stable mate CARDIGAN DAN and finished off in a sizzling final quarter of 26.1 seconds in the process!
Mile Rate: - 1.55.3 Last Half: - 55.7 Margin: - 2m
Trial 2: - KITZBUHEL DELIGHT hasn’t started since winning the Nutrien Classic in April. He showed good gate speed to lead and was able to cling on to get the prize. COGNAC COWBOY trailed the leader and came away from the inside on the home turn. He raced a little greenly on the final bend, which may have cost him victory. MASON JULIE settled three back on the markers and worked through for a close up third.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.3 Last Half: - 60.0 Margins: - 1/2head, Long Head
Trial 4: - GHOST OF TIME hasn’t started since a fourth at Melton in February. He did well at Metropolitan level during his last preparation and he is a strong front running type so there was no surprise he led throughout to win his trial. JUST AS WELL NZ finished in second after trailing the leader throughout and LOUIE LOU I NZ was third across the line after being three back on the markers for the duration. LOUIE LOU I NZ is resuming from a spell at Melton on Saturday. LOOK LIKE DIAMONDS came from last to pick up fourth position in what was a quality trial.
Mile Rate: - 1.57.6 Last Half: - 56.2 Margins: - 4.25m, 3.25m
Trial 6: - STRAPPING RED led out then took cover shortly after the start. She moved off the markers with 300m remaining and sprinted sharply to win clearly. She is backing up at Cranbourne on Sunday. G B BRAVE NZ finished in second after settling three back on the markers and angling away from the markers on the home turn. ISOLATION finished in third after being without cover early and progressing forward to find the lead with a mile remaining. ISOLATION is also racing at Cranbourne on Sunday night.
Mile Rate: - 1.59.5 Last Half: - 58.0 Margins: - 9m, 2.5m
Trial 7: - VYTIS backed up his very good trial a week earlier when he sprinted sharply along the passing lane from three back on the markers to collect the winning prize. ILLAWONG STARDUST finished in second position after attempting to lead throughout. She is competing at Melton on Saturday night. MISS YO NZ got away safely in the trial after being on her worst behaviour a few nights earlier and finished in third after trailing the leader and coming to the outside on the home turn. ARISTOTLE came from five back on the markers to fill fourth spot.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.1 Last Half: - 59.6 Margins: - 2.75m, 1.75m