Yabby Dam Farms’ recent buy Etsic Etaitvrai showed she will be a force here in Australia with a promising trial performance at Bendigo early this week.
The three-year-old trotting filly won all four of her starts in Italy before being purchased and brought to Australia for racing and breeding purposes.
She finished second in the hit-out at Lord’s Raceway and quickly found her way into Craig Rail’s Blackbook as a result.
Others Rail placed in his file this week were Shane Sanderson’s Ourmatemenko and Followtheace, who is an unraced gelding prepared by Rebecca Bartley and Stephen O'Donoghue.
SHEPPARTON 07/09/23
Trial 1: - FOLLOWTHEACE continues to impress at the trials and recorded a runaway success in the opening event. He was without cover early before progressing forward to find the lead at the 1700m and dashed well clear at the end in fast time. LOCKSLEY LOVER was three back on the inside and moved through to trail the leader at the 500m then battled on okay in the straight for second. HY JAX broke stride at the start and settled last of the four runners before coming out wide on the turn. He finished okay for third in front of SHEZA PLEASURE, which led out then took cover. SHEZA PLEASURE is resuming from a spell in the Maryborough Cup on Sunday.
Mile Rate: - 1.59.9 Last Half: - 57.6 Margins: - 20m, 3m
BLACKBOOKER: - Followtheace
Trial 2: - ROMAN ARNIE began quickly to lead, took cover at the 1600m and commenced his winning run at the quarter pole. He finished off fast and dashed well clear of his rivals in the run to the finish. MANDS PEARL trailed the leader early and ended up being three back on the markers before working into second. SHES BEWITCHED commenced from the second line and settled down in last position before circling around to find the lead at the mile marker. She was run down from the 300m and was last of the three runners to complete the course.
Mile Rate: - 2.3.4 Last Half: - 59.2 Margins: - 20m, 5m
BACCHUS MARSH 09/09/23
Trial 1: - GIPSY PRINCESS took out the open class trial over MISTER MACEDON in reasonable time. She hasn’t started since being unplaced at Melton in April but she might go well this preparation. MISTER MACEDON finished eight metres away in second with EL BOSTON and CLASSIC ANGELINA being third and fourth respectively.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.8 Last Half: - 59.0 Margins: - 8m, 1.5m
Trial 4: - TRINITYS DELIGHT was a comfortable winner of the fourth event. She has been lightly raced this season with her only run since March being on July 10. She has ability when she is at her peak form and the trial performance was encouraging. SOMEBEACHDREAMIN finished in second position with MORVAH being in third spot. The trotter IMPERIAL WHIZ NZ was the fourth horse across the line and will be competing at Melton on Tuesday night.
MARYBOROUGH 10/09/23
Trial 1: - ASMILEANDAWINX is now being prepared by trainer Basil Dooley and it was a a very good performance in defeating the handy pacer DOUBLE THE HUNTER in a field of two horses. She led throughout and was able to kick clear in the run to the judge. She is a good front runner and backed up at Stawell on Thursday afternoon, where she led and gave a great sight, finishing second behind Puzzle Piece.
Mile Rate: - 2.5.1 Last Half: - Not Given Margin: - 6m (approximately)
Trial 4: - PRINCE OF ROCK prepared for his performance in the Super Series Final at Melton tomorrow night with a comfortable trial victory. He raced away to win by twenty-five metres and has been racing in the peak of form so he should go well tomorrow night, despite being drawn on the second line. DEALERS KNOCK finished in second position and backed up with an unplaced effort at Stawell on Thursday. DOWNUNDER BARKERS was the third horse across the line.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.2 Last Half: - 59.3 Margins: - 25m, 10m
WARRAGUL 11/09/23
Trial 1: - KARTIARE is a gelding by Bling It On out of the race winning mare Misty Cullen (1.56.6, $27,420). He is the first foal out of the mare and appears to have inherited her ability. He was three back on the markers, made a move with 300m remaining and was able to win untouched. OH NO NEVER AGAIN is a colt by Sweet Lou out of Gorgeous An Divine (1.57.3, $55,427), which won eight races. He trailed the leader and used the sprint lane but he also appeared to have something in reserve at the finish. The trotter OVERANDOUT finished in third after trying to lead throughout and HE HAD BETTER BE was last of the four runners throughout after beginning slowly.
Mile Rate: - 2.4.6 Last Half: - Not Given Margins: - 4m, 5m (approximately)
BENDIGO 11/09/23
Trial 2: - WATTS UP PARTYTIME is a New South Wales trained trotter that boasts high speed. He led out, took cover at the 1700m and came away from the inside at the 500m to commence his winning run. He quickly got the better of the early leader IMA ZIABEE then held on in the run to the finish. It was a good hit-out for his performance in the Super Series Final at Melton tomorrow night. The interesting runner of the trial was the French bred filly ETSIC ETAITVRAI FRA. She is by the millionaire son of Ready Cash in Charly Du Noyer out of the Italian bred mare Gilly LB, which has produced three winners including Callmethebreeze FRA (1.53.0, $1,375,494) so she is bred to be a very good horse. She settled three back on the inside and finished fast for a close second so she is worth following. PICKET WIRE ran into a distant third at settling four back on the markers in the early stages of the event.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.8 Last Half: - 61.3 Margins: - 1m, 25m
BLACKBOOKER: - Etsic Etaitvrai FRA
Trial 3: - JOHN WAYNE NZ is a former New Zealand pacer, which joins trainer Julie Douglas. He began fast to find the lead and showed true grit in the run to the finish, dashing well clear to win easily. He disappointed in a Queensland campaign when he first came across from New Zealand but he has a low National Rating of 47 and performed well enough in the trial to suggest he can win races in Victoria. AS SHE SAYS settled six back on the markers and found the line strongly out wide late for second. EXOTIC BUSHRANGER was four back on the markers, waited for the sprint lane and made ground late for third.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.9 Last Half: - 58.3 Margins: - 11m, 1m
Trial 4: - ROMANTIC NINA won two trials in two days after she scored at Maryborough a day earlier. In the Maryborough trial however, she did gallop for the final 150m but she did everything right in the Bendigo event after being three back on the markers and moving through to trail the leader at the bell. She defeated BUSLIN BRODY, which set the speed and the juvenile pacer MAGOMEDOV gave the leaders a big start from seventh on the markers and motored into third placing. MAGOMEDOV is backing up at Bendigo this evening.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.3 Last Half: - 60.5 Margins: - Head, 3m
Trial 7: - THOMAS ROYAL was able to lead throughout and got the prize over OURMATEMENKO NZ, which settled last of the three runners and produced an eye-catching performance to finish in second spot. AROCKNATTHEPARK NZ finished last of the three runners after trailing the leader for the duration. THOMAS ROYAL is backing up at Bendigo this evening and is favourably drawn.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.3 Last Half: - 56.3 Margins: - 2m, 4m
BLACKBOOKER: - Ourmatemenko NZ
Trial 9: - PERFECT STRIDE NZ trailed the leader CAPTAIN CONFETTI NZ in a field of two horses. He only came to the outside with 50m remaining and finished off brilliantly to draw level with CAPTAIN CONFETTI NZ on the line.
Mile Rate: - 2.0.2 Last Half: - 56.6 Margin: - Dead Heat
MELTON 11/09/23
Trial 2: - COPACABANA began quickly to find the lead and was able to hold off her rivals to win the trial. ROCKINWITHATTITUDE settled last of the three runners, came to the outside on the home turn and finished off quickly without being pushed out at any stage. It was a good hit-out for her effort in the Super Series Final at Melton tomorrow night. UTOPIA trailed the leader, used the sprint lane and finished a close up third in what was a strong trial for the trotters.
Mile Rate: - 2.2.2 Last Half: - 58.81 Margins: - 2m, Nose
Trial 3: - FREE TO PLAY is an Emma Stewart trained filly by American Ideal out of the race winning mare Play Ball (2.3.5, $4,125). The second dam Secret Life was a top race mare and has been has been outstanding producer having produced seven winners including Beauty Secret and Major Secret. She was able to lead throughout and win the trial from THE WAR WOLF, which trailed the leader and came to the outside on the home turn before finishing off strongly. VERY PRETTY was slow to begin and settled down in last position but finished off strongly to be third past the post. JUMPINGJOY NZ was four back on the markers and used the sprint lane to finish in fourth position. THE WAR WOLF and JUMPINGJOY NZ will both be competing at Bendigo this evening.
Mile Rate: - 1.59.2 Last Half: - 57.02 Margins: - ½ head, 7.5m
Trial 5: - The champion mare LADIES IN RED hasn’t raced since winning the Breeders Crown in November. She settled down last of the four runners, circled around to find the lead from the mile marker and dashed home in a slick final quarter of 26.46 seconds to win the trial. BEYOND DELIGHT hasn’t raced since contesting the Inter Dominion series in December but he also performed very well in the trial after he led out then took cover. He did a good job to pick up ground in very quick time. MAJESTIC CRUISER trailed the leader early then ended up being three back on the markers and finished in third. BETTOR BE THE BOMB was last of the four runners from the mile marker and remained at the back of the pack. He is competing in the Maryborough Cup on Sunday.
Mile Rate: - 1.56.4 Last Half: - 55.43 Margins: - ½ head, 14m
Trial 6: - MAJOR DELIGHT has only suffered defeat once in eleven starts to date and hasn’t raced since winning the Bathurst Gold Bracelet in March. She settled three back on the inside, moved away from the markers at the 700m and sustained a strong run to get up on the line. CELEBRITY ROYAL hasn’t raced since a debut victory at Bendigo in July but he fought on strongly after setting the speed. MAJOR MAL was last of the three runners across the line after trailing the leader throughout.
Mile Rate: - 1.58.1 Last Half: - 55.92 Margins: - Head, 18.5m
Trial 9: - PABLO ROCKS settled five back on the markers, moved into the one out and one back trail at the 800m and produced a big finish in fast final sectionals to win impressively. He is making his debut at Melton on Tuesday night and looms as one of the leading chances. CAPTAIN BOAK finished in second after attempting to lead throughout and is also competing at Melton on Tuesday. JILLIBY TYPHOON was last of the six runners in the early stages and finished off nicely late for a handy third. The former Queensland pacer will make his Victorian debut at Bendigo this evening.
Mile Rate: - 2.1.7 Last Half: - 56.72 Margins: - 3.5m, 8m
