A scintillating track gallop in the lead-up to Saturday’s Group One Vinery Stud Stakes has John O’Shea upbeat about Sworn To Secrecy’s chances of repelling the favoured southern raiders.
O’Shea bought Sworn To Secrecy from New Zealand as an Oaks prospect, but the trainer’s initial impressions once she arrived in Sydney were that she might be too brilliant.
That was until he started to lengthen her work in the past two weeks as the filly is set to step to 2000 metres for the first time at Rosehill.
“I bought her to run in the Oaks but when she got here I thought she might just be a bit too sharp, and probably in her first few runs here that assessment was close to the mark,” O’Shea said.
“But I’ve got to say since we’ve lengthened her work, post her 1500-metre run (in the Phar Lap Stakes), she has really excelled and I’m going to the races thinking she’s going to run pretty well on Saturday.”
The daughter of Keeper’s piece of work last Saturday morning particularly impressed the Randwick trainer, with Sworn To Secrecy the fourth favourite at $7 behind VRC Oaks winner Brazilian Pulse and fellow Melbourne-based fillies Do Ra Mi and Pinker Pinker.
“Her work here (at Randwick) on Saturday morning over a bit of ground was scintillating,” O’Shea said.
“If she was to replicate that sort of work in the race on Saturday she’s going to be in the race, that’s for sure.”
Sworn To Secrecy has had three starts for O’Shea and has been knocking on the door of a first Australian victory.
First-up she chased home stakes-performed Turnstiles on the Kensington track over 1300m.
She then ventured to the nation’s capital where she had a wide barrier and beat all bar Kudakulari in the Listed Canberra Guineas (1400m).
Six days later O’Shea backed up Sworn To Secrecy in the Group Two Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill where she performed well again, finishing third to Blackie and Fast Clip.
“It’s a sort of an open race,” O’Shea said of the fillies’ feature.
“I know Brazilian Pulse is obviously a form filly and a quality filly, but my filly is an up-and-comer and I’m really happy with her.”
Brazilian Pulse, winner of the Group Three Keith Nolan Classic (1800m) second-up last Saturday, is the $2.50 favourite.
AAP TURF
