Secret Secret powers home© Photo Healy Racing
Secret Secret brought up plenty of wagers when scooting right away in the first division of the 1m6f handicap at Navan.
From a morning price of 10/1, he went off 7/2. This was his second start for Emmet Mullins having switched from Grace Harris in Britain (for whom he won a Stratford selling hurdle). He was sixth for Mullins at Down Royal last month.
Dylan Browne McMonagle kept him wide and the pair were a long way back before they made eye-catching progress as racecourse commentator Jerry Hannon said "devouring the ground racing to the final furlong".
He was almost on terms at that point and readily shot past the leader Clever Currency inside the final furlong.
The race was soon over as he drew further and further clear to win by an eased down nine lengths. Bolero took a remote second at 20/1 with Fenomeno (50/1) and Clever Currency occupying (40/1) the final places.
Mullins said: “He toughed it out well in the conditions and Dylan said he’s as tough as nails and you couldn’t go far enough with him. He should be a nice, fun horse.
“They went very quick and I told Dylan that he’s a keen horse and don’t worry about how far you get out of the race. In this grade and on that ground it’s just a matter about stay going.
“There won’t be too much more for him on the Flat. We got a big improvement out of him with the ground, so we might go back over hurdles.
“He has a handicap hurdle mark (80) and we’ll try and exploit that too.”
Owing to ground conditions, this race was started by flag.
Additional reporting by Alan Magee
