Denman's Secret Trail Opens Stakes account

Mark Smith - Saturday May 19

Peter and Paul Snowden's well-travelled 5yo mare Secret Trail scored a career highlight win in Saturday's Bright Shadow Quality (1200m) at Doomben.

In her last five starts, the daughter of Denman has started at Randwick, the Gold Coast, Rosehill, Caulfield and Doomben.

Carrying the colours of Triple Crown Syndications, Secret Trail held tough for Ron Stewart to defeat Crystal Fountain (Stravinsky) by a short-neck with O'Rachael (Northern Meteor) one and a quarter length back in third.

Advertisement

It advances the record of Secret Trail to 5 wins, 3 seconds and 3 thirds from 24 starts with earnings of $503,871.


"She's limited but she runs to her best and tries so hard," Peter Snowden told AAP.

"Ronnie gave her a perfect ride. He's ridden all around the world and I was pleased to have him aboard today because he has plenty of talent."

"There's an old saying, the harder you try the more luck you get and to her credit she always runs well but often draws bad gates or gets on the wrong part of the track.

"You need everything to go right with these types of horses and today she got a gun run and Ronnie rode her to her strengths because she's only got a short, sharp sprint."

Bred by Asco International, Secret Trail was consigned to the 2014 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by Element Hill where she was knocked down to Champion Thoroughbreds for $120,000.

She is the first foal of the winning Secret Savings mare Trail Of Secrets who is a half-sister to Group 1 ARC Railway Handicap winner Gold Trail (Hussonet).

Trail Of Secrets was sold by Elements Hill to Paul Willetts Bloodstock for $150,000 at the 2015 National Broodmare sale when carrying a filly by Pierro.

Her yearling filly by Unencumbered was sold for $72,000 at this year's Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.

After missing to Unencumbered in 2016, Trail Of Secrets was covered by Exceed And Excel last spring.

Secret Trail becomes the ninth stakes-winner for Darley Stud's Denman who will stand in 2018 at a fee of $8,800.

Advertisment
More Reading...
420k NZ Ready to Run Purchase Looks the Goods
Progressive three-year-old Sulek notched his first victory when landing the MRC Foundation Pin & Win Plate (1400m) at Sandown on Wednesday for trainer Dominic Sutton.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday September 30
Here is the full list of 27 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Magic Trials at Caulfield Heath
Early season two-year-olds will step out this Thursday, 2 October, at the Caulfield Spring Trials presented by Magic Millions, with 800m 2YO heats following the opening trial for Group performers at 7:30am on the Caulfield Heath.
Godolphin’s Lonhro Filly Proficient On Debut
From the penultimate crop of Darley’s Champion Sire Lonhro, the Ben, Will and JD Hayes trained 3yo filly Proficient started the race favourite, winning the Sportsbet Race Previews Plate (1000m) at Sandown Hillside in a fighting finish. 
Youngsters Impress Leading into Magic Millions Horses in Training Sale
The build up to the 2025 Magic Millions Gold Coast Horses in Training Sale has intensified with a swag of impressive breeze up performances over the past week.
Autumn Glow Epsom Challenge - Just How Big Is This Task?
With the unbeaten Autumn Glow set to run as the first odds-on favourite this century in the Epsom Handicap on Saturday we thought we’d run some data to see how big this mountain is that she’s attempting to climb, and turns out, it’s pretty big.
Kiwi Raider Pier Upbeat Ahead of Epsom
Co-trainer and part-owner Darryn Weatherley is taking a glass half full approach ahead of Saturday’s Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) after he came up with an awkward wide gate for Pier.
Almanzor Mare Chasing More Black Type
Group Two performer Mary Shan will be in search of an elusive stakes victory when she heads south to Hawera on Saturday where she will contest the Gr.3 Grangewilliam Stud Breeders’ Stakes (1400m).
Goffs Orby Day 2 - Trio of Million Dollar Yearling Fillies
The second day of the Goffs Orby Yearling Sale took off overnight with three individual yearlings selling for a million or more with the full sister to dual Group I winning champion 2YO Colt Blackbeard selling for €1.9 million to MV Magnier.
Swettenham Stud Delighted with Lofty Strike Foals
Swettenham Stud are delighted with the growing buzz of excitement surrounding the first foals for young gun sire Lofty Strike.