Secret Admirer, second favourite to win the Epsom Handicap, has been cleared to take her place in the famous Randwick mile.
A $6 chance to end a run of outs for mares in Saturday’s Group One race, Secret Admirer came under veterinary scrutiny after her unplaced Shannon Stakes run at the weekend.
But trainer Grahame Begg told stewards the Flight Stakes winner had passed a Sunday fitness test.
“Secret Admirer will proceed with its campaign, including the Epsom Handicap,” a Racing NSW report said.
Having her third run after an extended lay-off, Secret Admirer was beaten more than four lengths into fourth place as a short-priced Shannon Stakes favourite.
She had earlier burst into Epsom contention with a narrow Tramway defeat by Sincero, the Wyong-trained star who is the $3.40 favourite to claim a second Group One win in the Epsom.
Secret Admirer won the Flight Stakes on a seven-day back-up at the corresponding meeting last year but, along with other high-profile mares King’s Rose and Pinker Pinker, will have to overcome a modern day Epsom hoodoo for her sex.
La Neige (1976) was the last mare to win the race.
Epsom weights are certain to be raised half a kilogram at acceptance time with Sincero to carry 57kg topweight.
Sincero will have a light gallop on the sand at Wyong on Tuesday morning.
Trainer Steve Farley said the strapping galloper had completed his final piece of serious work on Saturday.
“His main gallop was over a half-mile by himself and he worked nicely,” Farley said.
Routine blood counts were taken from the four-year-old to confirm the galloper’s health.
“I always get his blood done the Monday before he goes to the races just to make sure everything is in order,” Farley said.
Gai Waterhouse, bidding to join her late father Tommy Smith as the Epsom’s most successful trainer, will have three runners.
Waterhouse, with six Epsom victories, will saddle up Shannon Stakes winner King Lionheart, Light Brigade and talented mare More Strawberries.
Stable jockey Tommy Berry sticks with King Lionheart and Jim Cassidy rides More Strawberries.
Chris Munce is in the running to ride smart four-year-old Light Brigade.
King Lionheart and More Strawberries are $21 in TAB Sportsbet markets with Light Brigade on the next line at $26.
Tulloch Lodge racing manager Bruce Slade, meanwhile, confirmed a Metropolitan start for last year’s winner Herculian Prince.
“Herculian Prince has returned from Melbourne and he and Tullamore will be our runners in the Metropolitan,” he said.
Herculian Prince failed to fire in the Naturalism Stakes at Caulfield at his most recent start and is an outsider at $31 to go back-to-back in Saturday’s staying test.
AAP TURF
