Vera's Secret and Nathan Crosse© Photo Healy Racing
Vera's Secret showed herself to be a very well handicapped filly when making just about all the running under Nathan Crosse to easily win the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Fillies Handicap at the Curragh.
After the mandatory three maiden runs, the Johnny Feane trained five-year-old looked to face a stiff task here on her introduction to handicap company.
However, having led from the outset, Crosse always had his rivals measure on the 12/1 chance, travelling strongly in front before quickening it up over a furlong out.
Stretching clear inside the final furlong, the eventual winner came home six-and-a-half lengths in front of Alabama Calling with Indigo Five back in third.
“She was good last year. She was unlucky the first day and then she did things wrong afterwards in her races,” said Feane.
“I ran her over shorter here, trying to get her to relax, and she was too keen that day. Then it was bottomless in Gowran and she ran with the choke out.
“Today I think they all wanted to move to the middle and it suited her as she got a freebie and got to prick her ears.
“We like her a lot, I've always liked her, and it's good that she did things properly today. She wasn't too keen.”
Additional reporting by Gary Carson.
