Randwick 1600m specialist Secret Admirer will be chasing her third victory over the tough ‘Mile’ when she lines up in the Group 1 $2m BMW Doncaster Mile (1600m) tomorrow.
Secret Admirer is chasing their third victory over the mile at Randwick in the Doncaster - photo (c) Steve Hart
Trainer Grahame Begg supports the theory that a Doncaster winner has to have special credentials and knows his mare has come up trumps in all departments.
Secret Admirer took out the Group 1 $400,000 Coolmore Flight Stakes over 1600m at Randwick in October 2010 and was also successful over the 1600m in the Group 1 $500,000 Racingnetwork.com.au Epsom last year.
“Secret Admirer is strong at the mile, she seems to really relish the open stretches at Randwick,” Begg said.
“Her two Group 1 wins have been under the same circumstances so it seems to be the right formula.”
Brenton Avdulla has been on the four year old for the majority of her starts and knows exactly how to time his run on her ater taking up a position back in the field, but will have to be on top of his game tomorrow after drawing the outside of the twenty horse field.
“Obviously I’ve got a job ahead now from the barrier, they haven’t given me an easy option but I’ll have to deal with it come race day,” Avdulla said.
“I won’t be able to ride her too pretty but the conditions are super for her.”
“She probably settled a little closer than we thought she would last start but that was probably from an inside draw and not a lot of tempo. In a truly run mile she will be back a little worse than that and we’ll work it out.”
Secret Admirer hasn’t won since the Epsom but hasn’t been far off the money at her last two runs in Group 1 company.
The Ron Quinton trained Ofcourseican was just too strong for her when second in the $600,000 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill on March 24 then she was beaten only a quarter of a length when third to Metal Bender in the $400,000 Daily Telegraph George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on April 7.
Begg is looking for a win in the Doncaster to boost stable spirits after he had to farewell two of his Group 1 winning stars in the last week.
Randwick Guineas winner Ilovethiscity was forced to retirement with a leg injury while the decision to finally call a halt to All Silent’s career was taken after the eight year old was struggling to regain his best form.
