EF NOV 28 - SECRETS UNTOLD EARNS LISTED SUCCESS

By Matthew Grimson and Graham Potter | Monday, November 30, 2009

Eagle Farm, November 28, 2009.
Track - Good 2. Rail - out 2.5m.
Recognition Stakes Handicap (Quality - Listed) - 1600m. Time: 1-33.38
1 Secrets Untold; 2 Humma; 3 Pepperwood.

Trainer Phillip Cox’s quest for a Listed race winner is over and it is fitting that one of the most honest horses in town - Secrets Untold - provided the Toowoomba based trainer with a career highlight.

Cox was the trainer of Wishart who finished runner-up on no less than three occasions in Listed company, most notable when coming home just 0.20 lengths behind Consular in the 2004 running of the Tattersall’s Mile. Wishart also gave Cox a second placing in the 2003 Bernborough when he finished second to Make Mine Magic. It has been a long wait ... but that only made Saturday’s success all the sweeter when Secrets Untold took out the Listed Recognition Stakes.

Wishart was a game horse in his time as the evidence of six wins, ten placings and over $234000 in stakes clearly relates. Secrets Untold is all of that ... and more. The Recognition Stakes was no less than his twelfth career success and it was astonishingly achieved in a manner which suggests the seven-year-old is only just reaching his prime.

Secrets Untold has been up a long time having had nine starts in the last four months. During this time he has won on five occasions (including four-on-the-trot) and been placed second once. All credit must go to the technique of the trainer and the resilience of the horse.

The Recognition Stakes victory was the cream on the top!

This was no gimme. Secrets Untold was faced with a host of well performed runners, but their records meant nothing to the battle-hardened veteran who provided a clinical strike under confident handling from in-form jockey Jim Byrne.

Settled in fifth spot on the rail early, Secrets Untold was up to fourth early in the sweep to the turn ... up to third approaching the turn ... into second on straightening with only Daedalus in front of him.

The momentum now was all on the side of Secrets Untold and he easily raced up to and past the weakening Daedalus to get to the front as early as the 250m. Getting to the front that soon is of no concern if you are going to kick all the wide to the line and that is just what Secrets Untold did to score a very, very strong victory, leaving Humma and Pepperwood to fight out the minor placings.

This was a big win.

WINNER FEEDBACK:
Trainer Phillip Cox: “Every time he just puts in. Last time he only got beat 1.25 lengths. The rail was out nine metres. He drew barrier eight and Stathi (Katsidis) just got back a little further than he wanted to. Today was different. You can see he loves it ... he just loves it. He has won an 1800 here, but he loves the 1600. He is full of running at the finish.

“He’s taken a long time to mature. He’s been very slow to mature. He showed a bit of form as a two-year-old but, you know, he’s just taken a long time to put it all together properly.

“We’ll go that Quality now in a fortnight as a lead-up to the Bernborough in a month’s time. That’s our main aim, the Bernborough. He’s carrying weight well which is what I’m happy about. He’ll get more next start, but he seems to still carry it, which is great.”

Jockey Jim Byrne: “He is extremely consistent. (Trainer) Phil (Cox) knows him back to front. A bit of credit has to go to Stathi (Katsidis - who rode the Secrets Untold last time). I had a good talk to him about the horse as well. Stathi gives you good info, you know. He reads horses pretty well.

“I knew they were going pretty quick, but, in saying that, he was lugging a bit of weight today, so I really didn’t want to sit back and let everyone else have the last shot at him sort of scenario. Hence, he’s hit the front a bit early. He actually started stoking a little bit before we straightened and he hit the front a little bit too early. I never anticipated him picking the weight up and letting down as well as he did. So, it was a pretty good win. I’d say he’s going as well as he has ever gone in his career.”

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
From a point near the 1100m until leaving the 1000m Our Lukas (B. Pengelly) made contact with Zahas Pride (L. Cassidy) on several occasions in an attempt to force that horse to the running rail. At a subsequent inquiry B. Pengelly was reprimanded and advised that in similar circumstances he should desist from such riding when it becomes evident that the runner to his inside is intent on holding its line of running.

A short distance after this incident the saddle on Our Lukas became displaced, placing its rider at a significant disadvantage which resulted in Our Lukas taking no further competitive part in the event. A post-race veterinary examination of Our Lukas (B. Pengelly) failed to reveal any abnormalities.

Stewards sought an explanation from L. Cassidy regarding the performance of Zahas Pride. L. Cassidy stated that the horse began well, however displayed a tendency to hang out in the middle stages of the race and when he asked it for an effort it failed to respond to his riding and compounded in the home straight.

L. Cassidy explained that in his opinion the horse may not have been entirely comfortable on the firm surface today and was also of the view the horse may not be up to running out a strong 1600m. A post-race veterinary examination of Zahas Pride (L. Cassidy) failed to reveal any abnormalities.