Best On Breeding

Mark Smith - Friday August 17

As Brenton Avdulla flies back to Japan after claiming his first George Moore Award for winning the Sydney Jockeys’ Premiership, it will give him some time to reflect on a filly that played a major part in his rise to the top.

Back in October 2010, a youthful Avdulla was contemplating a return to Melbourne before he was legged up on a three-year-old daughter of Dubawi (IRE) named Secret Admirer in the Group1 Flight Stakes at Randwick.

Advertisement

The Grahame Begg-trained filly defeated More Strawberries and Parables that day. Twelve months later, Secret Admirer stormed home from last to defeat Pinker Pinker and Red Tracer in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap to become the first mare in four decades to win the time-honoured Randwick mile. (photo Mark Smith)


It would be fair to say Avdulla never looked back after that.

As for Secret Admirer, she never won another race in 20 starts but that does not tell the whole story.

She placed in the Group 1 Emirates Stakes (twice), Group 1 Coolmore Classic, Group 1 George Ryder Stakes, Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Group 1 George Main Stakes and Group 1 Doomben Cup.

The daughter of Dubawi (IRE) retired with a record of 3 wins, 5 seconds and 10 thirds from 28 starts with earnings of $1,443,530.

The story of Secret Admirer dates back to 2008 Easter Weanling Sale when Jon Freyer purchased her for $38,000 on behalf of John Muir's Milburn Creek Thoroughbred Stud.

Muir put her back through the 2009 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale but there was a decided lack of interest and Secret Admirer ended up racing in Muir’s brown and white check silks.

After earning $1.4 million on the track, Secret Admirer has added a further $960,000 with her first two foals.

The first was an Exceed And Excel colt that made $400,000 at the 2017 Easter Yearling Sale and $560,000 for an I Am Invincible colt that went through the same ring 12 months later.

Tim Martin signed for both colts.

The first, Danawi (pictured as a yearling) , clearly has ability although he has not befriended himself to punters by being beaten into second place after being heavily backed at his first two starts.

The son of Exceed And Excel will be favoured once again to break his maiden in Saturday’s Group III Up And Coming Stakes (1300m) at Randwick where he will face off with his last start conqueror Military Zone who ran him down in the final strides over 1200 metres at Randwick back on August 4.

Despite being by the speed influence Exceed And Excel there is plenty of evidence to suggest that Danawi could prove effective up to a mile.

Secret Admirer clearly got 2,000 metres at the highest level and her dam Secret Illusion (Secret Savings) is a half-sister to the Group 1 Metropolitan Handicap winner Donegal Mist (Balmerino) and to the dam of the Group III Warwick Stakes and Group II Prime Minister’s Cup winner Sir Dex (Dexter).

Secret Illusion’s dam Our Illusion (Balios) won over 2000 metres although she is a half-sister to that remarkable kiwi sprinter Mr Illusion (Sovereign Edition) who stormed home from the tail of the field to win the 1984 Group 1 The Galaxy and the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate 12 months later.

Secret Admirer should keep the cash register ticking over for Milburn Creek. She has a yearling colt by Snitzel and was covered by Vancouver last spring.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Philia Highlights Oaks Claims With Tenacious The Roses Win
Successful last time out in the Listed Princess Stakes when becoming the 30th stakes winner for her sire All Too Hard, the David Vandyke trained Philia went four from four this time in, leading through to win the Group 2 The Roses (2000m) at Doomben.
NZ Oaks Winner Strikes Form in Australia for Yulong
Last year’s Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) winner Pulchritudinous landed her first blow across the Tasman with a gritty victory in the Gr.3 Magic Millions Fillies & Mares Mile (1600m) at Doomben on Saturday for trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
Brisbane Possible for Resurgent Velocious
Group One winner Velocious bounced back to her brilliant best in the Jarvis Trading (1100m) at Te Rapa on Saturday, raising the possibility of a trans-Tasman mission.
Stakes Potential for Miss Ole
Vinery Stud’s Ole Kirk added an 11th winner to his tally when the Clinton McDonald trained filly Miss Ole scored a stylish win in quick time at Sandown on Saturday.
Hellbent Filly Wins Listed Bill Carter
The $160,000 Listed BRC Bill Carter Stakes (1350m) at Doomben on Saturday had a short priced favourite in Hellbent filly Sunrays and she gave punters no cause for concern when powering clear for a dominant victory.
Almanzor Keeps Winners Coming for Moody- Coleman
The Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained Roadcone led his rivals a merry dance when winning the Stow Storage Solutions Handicap (1600m) at Sandown on Saturday, bringing up a treble for the stable and jockey Luke Cartwright.
Listed Chief De Beers Stakes To Manhood
Surprisingly contesting black type racing for the first time in his career, it was first time lucky for the Annabel and Rob Archibald trained Manhood after the 6yo son of Headwater was strong to the line, leading throughout to win the Listed Chief De Beers Stakes (1110m).
G1 Stradbroke Next for War Machine
Hot favourite War Machine made light work of his rivals in the Gr.3 BRC Sprint (1350m) at Doomben on Saturday and it is now all systems go as the four-year-old son of Harry Angel (IRE) heads towards the Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 14.  
Antino King of Doomben with Track Record Breaking Victory
Trainer Tony Gollan has earmarked the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) as the long-range target for star galloper Antino after a stunning victory in the Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m) on Saturday in track record time.
Sires With Winners - Saturday May 24
Here is the full list of 102 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.