It might not carry Group status but the greys’ race at Flemington has prestige attached, especially for the connections of the latest winner Secret Toy Bizness.
Trained by John Ledger and his son Chris at Wangaratta for a group of patient and enthusiastic owners, Secret Toy Bizness ($12) took the rails path home under Damian Lane to beat Queensland vistor Time To Plunder ($8.50) by three-quarters of a length.
Secret Toy Bizness
“I think everybody who owns a grey horse targets this race on Oaks day,” Chris Ledger said.
“She ran fourth in it last year and has had a few problems off and on since so we have had to work hard to get her here.
“We had a plan today and the instructions were to come wide but it didn’t work out that way.
“He had to go back in and it was a great ride.”
Lane said he had tried to move out to make his run around the field from second last on the turn but the gaps kept closing.
“I was working to the outside because there seems to be a thought the inside isn’t as good,” Lane said.
“Then the openings came on the inside and kept coming and she took them.
“It was a good to get the win after a couple of frustrating seconds.”
Lane, who celebrated his first Group One win aboard Trust In A Gust in the Rupert Clarke Stakes in September, had ridden Miss Maggiebeel and Eloping to second place in two earlier races.
Adding to the spectacle of the 1400-metre race, the most popular grey of all, 1992 Melbourne Cup winner Subzero, was on hand to welcome the winner back.
