Brilliant filly Secret Saga will get a chance to show Sydney racing fans her true ability after winning her first stakes race in brave fashion at Doomben on Saturday.
Secret Saga, the $2.80 favourite, was again tardy at the start but circled the field to lead and then held on to beat La Dolce Vita ($8) by a half head in the Listed Mode Plate (1200m).
Unlucky filly Madotti ($9) rattled home late to be third, three-quarters of a length behind La Dolce Vita.
Secret Saga had one start in Sydney when sixth in the Brian Crowley Stakes on October 17.
However, she has won both of her starts since returning to Brisbane in dashing style.
Trainer Tony Gollan said Secret Saga was not a Magic Millions horse and would have only one more summer start in the Listed Gold Edition Stakes on December 12.
“I would then like to bring her back to run in the Sydney autumn. She pulled a shoe at her only run in Sydney and I would like to show them how good she is,” Gollan said.
“I might have been a bit soft on her this week and I was a bit worried for the last few metres but she is a quality filly and deserved a stakes win.”
Gollan has set himself the task on dominating the Brisbane summer stakes races in Brisbane and is off to a great start with two important wins in a fortnight.
Winning jockey Jim Byrne said Secret Saga had shown blistering pace to get to the lead and he had then been able to dictate.
Luke Tarrant, who rode La Dolce Vita, said the filly tried hard and would have won in a few more strides.
