Veteran sprinter Secret Flyer is a revitalised galloper in career-best form and landed one of his biggest wins in the Listed Monash Stakes at Caulfield.
After being winless for 21 months, the rising eight-year-old posted his second victory in three starts when he unwound his customary barnstorming finish in Saturday’s weight-for-age sprint to beat Rue Maple by a length with Group One-placed filly Warm Love three-quarters of a length away third.
Trainer Mark Young has done a remarkable job with Secret Flyer who is a high-maintenance horse because of troublesome feet and joint problems.
The Monash was his 11th win in 38 starts and his second feature success after winning the Listed Kensington Stakes at Flemington in January 2009.
“He has got a lot of heart and what he lacks in class he makes up with competitive edge,” Young said.
He said placing Secret Flyer on softer tracks was paramount because of his problems.
“From the knees up he is a really physical, good, strong horse but once horses have bad feet they have them for life,” Young said.
“He had a piece of pedal bone taken off before he even raced and he’s had a fracture in the heel bone.”
Secret Flyer’s early success elevated him into the better-class sprints and he has been stakes-placed five times in 16 attempts.
Twice he was tried in Group One class, finishing unplaced in a Newmarket Hcp (1200m) at Flemington and a Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley.
“A lot of those races were on firm tracks which didn’t suit him,” Young said.
“The idea with his horse now is just to manage him.
“You have just got to target races with him where there is give in the ground because when the tracks are firm he really struggles and pulls up fairly average.”
The gelding gave jockey Luke Nolen his second consecutive Monash Stakes victory after the success of the Peter Moody-trained Reward For Effort a year ago.
Nolen buried Secret Flyer in behind a moderate pace set by Gold Trail and he sprinted quickly when pulled out to make his run in the straight.
“Off the farcical tempo I thought they would be harder to run down at weight-for-age but he rose to the challenge,” Nolen said.
Trainer David Brideoake was pleased with Warm Love’s effort and believes she is now ready for 1200-metre sprints for the first time.
Veteran grey Stanzout ran on well from last for fourth and Gold Trail tired to finish fifth.
AAP TURF
