Pakenham trainer Phillip Stokes has fond memories of the family of Bold Secret who is set to make his debut at Flemington.
Bold Secret runs in VRC Member Sarah Hart Trophy on Saturday and enters the race after three jump-out victories at Pakenham, the most recent on July 8.
A son of Brazen Beau from Private Nancy, Bold Secret traces back on the dam side to Nancy Eleanor, who provided Stokes with one of his first Stakes race victories when successful in the Adelaide Guineas at Morphettville in 2003.
Nancy Eleanor went on to produce Private Nancy and an older half-sibling to that mare Phelan Ready who won the 2009 Group 1 Golden Slipper.
Like Nancy Eleanor, Bold Secret is raced by the Broad family, who happen to be one of the first clients of Stokes when he took out a trainers’ license back in 2000.
“It’s a funny story,” Stokes said.
“The Boards, they were one of my first clients and they had the dam Private Nancy.
“I trained the (Bold Secret’s) granddam Nancy Eleanor, and she went to stud and was also the mother of Phelan Ready.
“Nancy Eleanor was one of my first ever stakes winners. Joe Bowditch rode it, it won the Adelaide Guineas, a long time ago.
“And Joe has done a bit of work on this horse as well, but Craig Williams will ride him on Saturday.
“It’s nice to see another race in the colours. The dad passed away a few years ago, but the sons have kept it all going.”
Bold Secret is lucky to still be in Stokes’ care at Pakenham.
After showing ability in his Pakenham jump-outs, offers from Hong Kong came flooding in.
“They had him sold to Hong Kong, and I was filthy as it failed the vet,” Stokes said.
“But I like the horse a lot.
“We rode him quietly in a jump-out and he got back and chased through the line good.
“This will tell us where he’s at, but we’ll try him down the straight and see how he progresses ahead of the spring.”
The corresponding race last year saw First Settler successful following a debut win at Caulfield.
First Settler went on to win the Group 2 Danehill Stakes at Flemington ahead of two more starts before retiring to stud.
The field has attracted a field of ten, with multiple Stakes winner Shining Smile the topweight with 62.5kg, which will be offset by the 3kg allowance for in-form apprentice Logan Bates.
