EF DEC 02 - GENERAL SECRETARY ADDS ANOTHER NOTCH TO HER BELT

By Matthew Grimson and Graham Potter | Friday, December 4, 2009

Eagle Farm, December 2, 2009.
Track - Good 3. Rail - out 11.5m.
Class 3 Plate (Fillies & Mares - Set Weights) - 1200m. Time: 1-10.83.
1 General Secretary; 2 Shocking Blue; 3 Calm Before.

The Brett Baker trained General Secretary scored in confident fashion here to take her race record to three wins from eight starts.

The lightly raced four-year-old landed in the leading line where it was a bit of a chess-game early. Jockey Christian Reith allowed Super Confident to cross him to lead but when Shocking Blue also tried to gain ground on his outside, Reith pushed General Secretary forward to hold his position one out behind the leader.

Reith set General Secretary about her business early in the straight. The four-year-old responded with meaning and then dug deep to sustain her effort to the line to see off the persistent challenge of the game Shocking Blue by 0.80 lengths. The favourite Calm Before finished third without ever looking likely to seriously trouble the winner.

Trainer Brett Baker continues to do a great job with the mare who spent twelve months out of action after injuring herself on debut. Baker’s patience has already been well rewarded and the prospect of future success is very much in play.

WINNER FEEDBACK
Trainer Brett Baker: “Lovely win. They’re always lovely wins!

“Last start she just got a bit of a bump ... she got a bit of a bump that day.” (That was the first time the mare finished out of the first three following a second place/win/third place sequence).

“I was pretty confident I would run in the first three this time. I didn’t think I’d win as easy as I did, but I thought I would run in the first three, yeah. Take that last run out and she has been consistent right the way through.

“When she gets beat she only gets beat a length and a bit. That day she ran third when Stathi (Katsidis) rode her... what did she get beat? A half-neck and three-quarters-of-a length. So she’s been pretty consistent.

“That’s her seventh run this time in and her eighth start. That’s it for now. We will give her a break now. She can have a break for Christmas.

“There was no need for the bandages anymore. What actually happened was her original start was here nearly twelve months ago and she over-reached in the race. It was like today ... it rained and she actually bumped the back of her tendon. I just put bandages on when she came back from her spell just for precaution. Today I thought, well bugger it I will take them off. She didn’t need them anymore.”

Jockey Christian Reith: “The day I couldn’t ride her (two runs prior to this outing), that’s when I had the race fall and I couldn’t ride for the rest of the day. Otherwise I’ve been on her all the time.

“She’s a nice filly. He’s just had a few problems with her tying up at the moment. That’s why she failed last start, she just tied up. Today she is still not one hundred percent but, you know, I think they are looking to tip her out now and give her a bit of time.

“I have always had an opinion of the filly since I first won on her here at Eagle Farm. She just blew them away, you know. She a horse that I think can go through her grades ... and I’m sort of hoping for that when she comes back.

“There’s definitely improvement, but I think she is looking for the paddock now. She’s had a fair campaign this time, you know, and it’s more or less her first prep. She’s done well. Brett (Baker) did real good. She’ll come back bigger and better.”

PRICE FLUCTUATIONS:
Winner (General Secretary): 8.00 out to 9.00.
Favourite (Calm Before): 2.00 out to 2.50 in to 1.90. Finished third.

STEWARDS REPORT EXTRACT:
Drawn To DubaiI (App M. Hellyer) was slow into stride. Shortly after the start General Secretary (C. Reith) shifted in and bumped Cheekysue (M. Cahill) forcing that horse over onto Fille De Neige (App J. Wood).

Near the 1000m Whitemore Dynasty (L. Cassidy) became unbalanced when being restrained when racing in restricted room and got its head up and shifted out onto Dibaba (J. Byrne), which had been cramped for room by General Secretary when that horse went forward to the lead. Fille De Neige over-raced in the early and middle stages of the event.

Shocking Blue (S. Katsidis), Champagne Pink (R. Wiggins) and Cheekysue all raced wide for the majority of the event.

When questioned regarding the disappointing performance of Dibaba jockey J. Byrne stated he was of the opinion that the horse failed to handle the prevailing track conditions. A post race veterinary examination of Dibaba revealed no significant abnormalities.