A good barrier draw will determine if Sydney filly Secret Lady continues her Summer campaign in the Group 3 $150,000 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) for the Fillies at Caulfield on Saturday.
Secret Lady, above, is among the nominations for the Fillies Blue Diamond Preview at Caulfield. Photo by Steve Hart.
Warwick Farm trainer Gary Portelli is pleased with the way Secret Lady has got over her fifth placing behind Sunlight in the $2m Magic Millions 2yo Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast on January 13 and will head to Melbourne with the Choisir filly if the right marble comes out at acceptance time on Wednesday.
“We thought we would nominate her and if she drew well enough we’ll run,” Portelli told AAP.
“The Blue Diamond Preview was there as an option if she came back from the Magic Millions in good order”
“I thought it might be too much for most two-year-olds but this girl is such a good doer and she puts on weight easily and has a great recovery rate.
“She came back from the Gold Coast looking like she was ready to win.
“She one of those horses who carries a bit more condition than most and now she looks like she’s right.
Melbourne based jockey Ben Melham has been booked to ride Secret Lady in the Blue Diamond Preview after having been aboard the filly at her last two starts that resulted in a second in an 1100m two year old plate at Randwick on December 30 and the fifth in the Magic Millions 2yo Classic.
Secret Lady was a winner at her second race start for Irish jockey Lee Magorrian in the $150,000 Golden Gift (1100m) at Rosehill on November 25.
Melham and Portelli have teamed up in the past with major success with the pair combining to win the 2017 Group 1 $3.5m Longines Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill with She Will Reign.
Portelli has no concerns that Secret Lady will handle the reverse way of going at Caulfield and said the filly handled the anti-clockwise direction with ease in a special gallop at Warwick Farm on Monday morning.
“This morning (Monday) was the first time she has worked that way of going, and it was a piece of cake,” Portelli said.
Secret Lady is one of seventeen fillies nominated for the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Preview at Caulfield on Saturday.
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