Secret Seal’s nose wins Ormond Memorial

Press, 17 September 1987, Page 55

Secret Seal’s nose wins Ormond Memorial

PA Hastings Secret Seal continued his march towards this year's Caulfield and Melbourne Cups and had his second big win at Hastings this year with a last-stride win in the $45,000 Ormond Memorial at yesterday’s Hawke’s Bay meeting. The Imperial Seal gelding, last on the home turn in an 11-horse field, caused his rider, Noel Harris, several anxious moments in the final stages before snatching victory by a nose from A Gallant Guess and the hardy campaigner, Lacka Reason. It was a performance not unlike Secret Seal’s half-head win in the $50,000 Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200 metres) at Hastings in April, when he descended on the leaders with giant strides in the last 50 metres. When Secret Seal burst between horses with 300 metres to run yesterday he looked in for a comfortable win as those in front of him, including Guess, appeared to be under heavy pressure. But then the chestnut started

to duck and dive when hit with the whip and it was only superb balance and a vigorous ride from Harris that won the day. “If he didn’t muck around when he did, he could have won by a length or more,” said Harris soon after dismounting. It was Harris’s knowledge of Secret Seal that obviously told. He has ridden the five-year-old in six Of his seven wins, having to give up the ride in the Hawke’s Bay Cup when he couldn’t make the weight Harris said he did not intend to be still last' rounding the home bend in yesterday’s 2000-metre race, but circumstances had been such that he had little choice. “I couldn’t really start to improve earlier and just had to sit and wait for the gaps to open. I knew they would fan out just after the home turn and I would be able to get a run through,” said Harris. Secret Seal is now tentatively booked to fly to Australia on September 24, where he will be set for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups. His Wood-

ville trainer, Jeff Lynds, thinks there is still room for plenty of improvement in the horse and may even give him another run in New Zealand, in the $50,000 weight-for-age race at New Plymouth on October 3, before he leaves.

Lynds is looking at the Turnbull Stakes and Caulfield Stakes as two possible lead-up races in Australia, before Secret Seal tackles the Cups. The Takanini trainer, Baggy Hillis, is uncertain what the future holds for Guess, which turned in a big race for second to Secret Seal yesterday. There is a chance he too could contest the New Plymouth race on October 3. “I’ll take him home, but there’s not much for him up there because the tracks have been too wet and so we might have to come down here again,” Hillis said. Plans to have Lacka Reason racing in America next month have been shelved for the moment, even thought the horse showed more like his true form in finishing third. “He was going to be

racing in America by about October, but I think those plans have been scrapped,” rider Garry Phillips said. “I had to get out just before the home turn or else I would have got shuffled back. It meant taking the lead sooner than I wanted and I knew he would be a sitting duck if anything was going to come at him,” added Phillips.

Fairfield Lad was another horse putting in some big strides in the final stages to end up fourth, three-quarters of a length behind Lacka Reason.

. Rider, Phillip Mercer, said the track was a bit too firm for Fairfield Lad, but that the run would top the horse off nicely for this Saturday’s Marton meeting. Hanayome finished fifth after tracking the pacemaking Royal Grit to turn and Red Hawk turned in a much improved effort for sixth, although hardly flattering.

Rider Chris Johnson said Red Hawk kept going right to the line but never flashed home like he can.