No Secret about this Agenda
Not A Single Doubt has begun the new season in his trademark style, with a flurry of progressive winners heading towards bigger prizes this Spring.
The latest of his 21 winners since 1 August is the smart 3YO filly Secret Agenda who made an emphatic return to racing on Wednesday with a strong win over 1200 metres at Sandown.
Watch Secret Agenda’s win at Sandown.
Secret Agenda’s 3.5 length debut win at Moonee Valley last December earned her early favouritism for the Blue Diamond, but all hopes of a juvenile Group 1 victory ended when she was galloped on during the Blue Diamond Prelude in February. Instead, she went through surgery and recuperation for a fractured splint bone, a process that has clearly been successful.
At Sandown Secret Agenda beat the field out of the gates, but was quickly steadied by Craig Newitt who was happy to settle fourth on the fence behind Destiny’s Reward, Braccenby and the favourite Moher. When the field straightened up, the filly accelerated sharply through a gap on the inside of Destiny’s Reward and galloped home strongly to hold off the fast-finishing Spieth by a length with Braccenby third.
Trainer Mick Price said, “It was more the horse’s ability that got her to win rather than being trained first-up for anything…she is really a smart filly.
“I have got some nice plans for her in stakes races coming, but I was just happy to kick her off here.”
Price indicated that Secret Agenda will be kept to sprint distances, and her immediate target is likely to be the MVRC Champagne S. G3 for 3YO fillies on 25 September.
Secret Agenda was a $120,000 yearling purchase from Arrowfield’s 2014 Magic Millions Gold Coast draft by syndicator Blueblood Thoroughbreds. She is the fifth foal and third winner out of Negotiate, an unraced daughter of Red Ransom and 2YO Group 1 winner Euphoria, from the celebrated Denise’s Joy family.
Negotiate’s sixth foal, a colt by Smart Missile, was knocked down to Hawkes Racing for $700,000 at this year’s Magic Millions Sale. Named Missile Strike, he has just returned to the stable after a short break. Negotiate has a yearling filly by Smart Missile and is due to foal again to him this month.
Other city winners for Not A Single Doubt in the past month include the Matthew Dale-trained Fell Swoop, who tackles stakes company at Moonee Valley this Saturday; Strong Hand, in the Darren Weir stable; and the Gai Waterhouse-trained 3YO filly Themis, whose major Spring goal is the $500,000 ATC Flight S. G1 on 3 October.
