The Phillip Stokes stable is looking to a two-year-old event at Morphettville Parks to get the maiden win for Secret Alliance.
The daughter of Microphone runs in the Sportsbet Feed Handicap (1000m) on Saturday, her second career start.
Secret Alliance made her debut at Bendigo on June 25 and was well supported in betting before winding up in fifth place in the 1100m two-year-old maiden.
Stokes said the stable had a better understanding of the filly following that debut effort and will be instructing Harry Grace to be more positive on Secret Alliance.
“We probably should have been a bit more positive on her,” Stokes said.
“She had shown us a bit at home. Her jump-outs had been good, and we went to Bendigo thinking we would see a good run.
“I think she’s well placed over there on Saturday and it’s important to try and get a city win on the board as a two-year-old.”
Stokes said he would be guided by the filly’s performance on Saturday, but at the same time said he would not be aiming for the sky, yet, with Secret Alliance.
He doubted whether Secret Alliance would at this stage be up to a race like the Listed Lightning Stakes (1050m) at Morphettville on July 25.
“I don’t think the two-year-old’s have as good a record anymore,” Stokes said.
“They used to when they would get 49 kilos over 1000 metres at Cheltenham, but the weight difference is a bit closer now, but she’s a nice Microphone filly.
“We’ll just try and place her right and pick off a few races.”
Grace will be looking to continue his successful run on South Australian tracks since making the move to Adelaide in May.
He has moved into the top 20 on the South Australian Metro Jockey Premiership with eight winners while he has 18 victories to his name on South Australian tracks since the start of May.
