Waratah's Secret New Favourite For Ascot
- Friday, 27 November 2009 04:45
Unbeaten Waratah's Secret is the new favourite for Saturday's Group Two Winterbottom Stakes at Ascot in Perth following the scratching of Lucky Secret.
Trainer Tony Vasil told Perth Racing on Friday that Lucky Secret would not be travelling west after suffering from a respiratory problem.
Vasil informed authorities that the threat of travel sickness was the determining factor in the six-year-old not being loaded on a plane.
Lucky Secret will now be aimed at New Zealand's January sprint features, the Railway Stakes and the Telegraph Handicap.
The David Harrison-trained Waratah's Secret is now the $3.60 TAB Sportsbet favourite for the $500,000 weight-for-age 1200-metre Winterbottom.
Ortensia remains the second pick for the race in the newly-framed market but has tightened from $5 in to $4.20.
Idyllic Prince is the $5 third favourite ahead of Kid Choisir at $6.50.
Waratah's Secret and Kid Choisir will be out to improve the record of three-year-olds in the feature.
Since filly Belinda's Star won the race in 1975 only one three-year-old, Hardrada in 2002, has been successful.
Waratah's Secret made it four straight wins by scoring in the Listed Fairetha Stakes (1400m) at Ascot on October 31 and won a Lark Hill 950m barrier trial by seven lengths last Monday week.
The Oratorio gelding drew barrier nine and will be ridden by Paul Harvey who won the Winterbottom aboard French Sound in 1996.
Kid Choisir from the Frank Maynard stable has won five of his eight starts.
The colt won the Listed Placid Ark Stakes (1200m) at Ascot last Saturday with Damien Oliver in the saddle.
Lucky Secret was the $3.40 popular elect before he was scratched while Waratah's Secret was locked with Ortensia for second favouritism in the first markets at $5.
The $NZ200,000 Railway Stakes (1200m) is at Ellerslie on January 1, while the $NZ1 million Telegraph Hcp (1200m) is held at Trentham on January 23.
