Injury restricted the Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained Secret Blaze to just four starts in 2020 but the son of Sizzling looked back to his best with a dominant performance in Friday night’s Group III Steamatic JRA Cup (2040m) at Moonee Valley.
Ridden by Craig Williams, Secret Blaze over overpowered the ever-consistent Homesman (War Front) by three-quarters of length with Rostropovich (Frankel) a half-length back in third.
It was a well-spaced second stakes win for Secret Blaze after the Listed Galilee Final at Caulfield in April 2019. His overall record advances to seven wins, five seconds and three thirds from 30 starts with earnings of $711,400.
“It was a pretty good watch. Craig thought he’d get the run of the race from barrier three, and he did that,” Tony McEvoy said.
“I’m just so pleased for the horse. He’s come back from a setback, a tendon.
“He’s such a great gentleman to deal with and he’s been a great patient all the way through. It was lovely to see him get back at this level.
“There’s a stack of races for this fellow. We can now go to the Coongy or the Herbert Power. Or maybe even that big dance (Caulfield Cup). It is lovely to get him back in form and we’ll regroup and decide in a few days.”
“He’s sound as a bell. It’s fabulous.”
A half-brother to $3million earner and Group II winner Invincibella, Secret Blaze was a $90,000 purchase by McEvoy Mitchell Racing from the Millford Thoroughbreds draft at the 2017 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale
Secret Blaze is one of three winners from four to race from unraced Galileo (IRE) mare Abscond, who comes from the family of Group I SAJC Adelaide Cup winner The Hind and Listed Geelong Cup winner Oregon Star, so it's probably no great surprise he has found his forte as a stayer.
Abscond has a yearling filly by Russian Revolution and was covered by I Am Invincible last spring.
Secret Blaze is the lone stakes-winner for Sizzling, who stands at Riverdene Stud for a fee of $6,000 after beginning his career at Newgate Farm.
