EF NOV 27 - PRUSSIAN SECRET UPSTAGES THEM ALL

By Graham Potter | Monday, November 29, 2010

Eagle Farm, November 27, 2010.
Track - Good. Rail - out 2.5m. Penetrometer - 5.
No more than 1MW Handicap - 1812m.
Time: 1-51.38. Last 600m: 35.44. (Carrying 55kg).
1 Prussian Secret; 2 Eastline; 3 Telestah La Vistah.
Margins: 1.50; 1.00.

Saturday at Eagle Farm was a big day out for Tamworth based trainer Leon Davies and apprentice jockey Tim McIntosh.

The duo made the trip to Brisbane with the six-year-old gelding Prussian Secret and the son of King Of Prussia was armed with enough ammunition to shoot down all of his opponents as McIntosh took him to the line with 1.50 lengths in hand over the favourite Eastline.

Prussian Secret had won four-in-a-row, all with McIntosh on board, on the country circuit at the end of his last preparation. That sequence culminated with a victory in the Armidale Cup over 1900m on March 2, after which Prussian Secret was spelled for three months.

Five runs into this his latest preparation, Prussian Secret was a winner again, this time in the Coonamble Cup over 1600m. He then finished in the minor places in his two subsequent starts leading into his Eagle Farm raid.

While generally honest and game in his endeavours and basically facing a lack-lustre lineup at Eagle Farm, the chances of Prussian Secret stretching out to a city win still seemed a long-shot and the Davies trained runner was duly marked up at $12.00 and quickly drifted to $16.00.

As they say, the horse didn’t know his price and he ran like a good thing, clearly enjoying his new surroundings. Davies certainly had his charge primed for what had looked to many to be an ambitious assignment and McIntosh rode Prussian Secret a treat. Afterwards he was justifiably delighted at the way he had landed his first Metropolitan winner.

Prussian Secret is now an eight-time winner from twenty-four starts.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Leon Davies: “I’ve been training for two years. I was previously up here with Bryan Guy. I rode track-work for Bryan Guy.

“Tim (McIntosh) knows the horse inside-out. He won four straight on him last preparation. Tim was in Mussellbrook and not getting a lot of opportunities, so I forced him to come to Tamworth. He goes good.”

Jockey Tim McIntosh: “I thought I’d be further back in the field. I’ve won a few Country Cups on him and all the time he gets back in his runs, he runs home, gets to the outside and hits the line real good.

“We drew the two today, so I thought I’d give him a dig. We landed about fourth or fifth.

“I thought there was no point in dragging him back. I just left him where he was … where he was happy … and he soon pounced on the leaders in the run home.

“I was pretty confident then … pretty confident all the way down the straight.

“This is my first time at Eagle Farm. It is my first time ever outside New South Wales to be honest.

“The trainer didn’t so much have to talk me into coming. The horse had to get my weight … that was the key.

“You see, at the moment I only ride at 54kg. I’ve had a bit of weight trouble and I’ve got no country claim now. So I just poke along at 54 as best I can, you know.

“He got 58kg and then they offered the ride to me and I pounced on the opportunity.

“I actually got off my rides at Bundarra to come here. It’s their once a year meeting. Everything worked out well.

“It’s my first Metropolitan winner.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (Prussian Secret): 12.00 out to 16.00.
Favourite (Eastline): 3.60 out to 4.40 in to 4.00. Finished second.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
After being loaded into the barriers, Ivy's League became fractious, was removed from the gates, examined by the veterinary surgeon and cleared to race.

Approaching the 1600m, La Bella Luisa (B. Stewart), which was over-racing, had to be steadied to avoid the heels of Royal Reign (B. El-Issa), which shifted in.

At this stage, Cross Town Traffic (P. Hammersley) also raced fiercely and shifted outwards, placing La Bella Luisa at a further inconvenience at the heels of Royal Reign.

Royal Reign over-raced in the early stages when racing three wide and was then allowed to stride forward to assume the lead near the 1000m. B. El-Issa reported that Royal Reign hung in for the major part of the race.

La Bella Luisa over-raced in the early and middle stages.

E. Wilkinson, rider of Sunshine Angel, reported that approaching the 300m it was apparent to him that Argenteum (J. Taylor) was attempting to shift outwards towards his mount around the heels of La Bella Luisa.

He added that he stopped riding momentarily and moved Sunshine Angel wider on the track as he felt it would be a disadvantage if Argenteum came into contact with his mount and he was to lose momentum at that point of the race.

Trainer L. Davies was questioned regarding the seemingly improved performance of Prussian Secret today.

L. Davies explained that the gelding is not at its best when racing on rain affected tracks, which it has done at its last two starts, and today appreciated the firm surface.

Stewards sought an explanation from L. Cassidy regarding the performance of Ivy's League.

L. Cassidy explained that the gelding travelled comfortably until placed under pressure passing the 600m and failed to respond to his riding and was disappointing from that point. L. Cassidy added that, in his view, Ivy's League may be best suited when leading in its races.

A post race veterinary examination of Ivy's League failed to reveal any significant abnormalities.

Stewards inquired into allegations made by apprentice J. Piper that rider B. Stewart made inappropriate comments to her at a point near the 1600m.

After taking evidence from the steward in the vicinity and riders, P. Hammersley, rider of Cross Town Traffic, J. Piper, rider of Bann Ruby, and B. Stewart, rider of La Bella Luisa, stewards believed there was insufficient evidence to proceed with the matter.

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