Melbourne’s Mick Price enjoyed his fourth win in the Robert Sangster Stakes 2017 scoring the upset at Morphettville Racecourse with his in-form mare Secret Agenda.
Secret Agenda (pictured at Caulfield) could target the Group 1 Brisbane races this winter after winning the 2017 Robert Sangster Stakes. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
The four-year-old daughter of Not A Single Doubt went out as a $16 shot in betting at Ladbrokes.com.au in this year’s capacity field for the $1 million Group 1 Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m).
Drawn out wide, the bookies were sceptical over Secret Agenda’s chances from the gate despite the mare having won the Group 2 Sapphire Stakes (1200m) at Randwick last time out in early April.
Retaining the ride was jockey Damien Oliver and he posted a second Robert Sangster Stakes victory after previously riding the Lee Freedman-trained filly Alinghi to victory back in 2005.
Price meanwhile had three other Robert Sangster Stakes winners to his name prior to Secret Agenda with Spirit Of Love (1998), French Bid (2004) and Bel Mer (2009).
Continuing the outstanding record of four-year-olds in the race, Secret Agenda began well from out wide eventually setting into second behind the Lindsay Park-trained Oakleigh Plate winner Sheidel who pinged out of the gates with the ‘Magic Man’ Joao Moreira aboard.
Second in the race 12 months ago, Sheidel led the Robert Sangster Stakes around from Secret Agenda and Super Cash.
Shane Nichols’ Myer Classic winning filly I Am A Star was also up on the pace throughout out to further frank the Doncaster Mile form by improving on her eighth to subsequent AD Hollindale Stakes winner at the Gold Coast on Saturday It’s Somewhat.
Approaching the home turn, Secret Agenda moved up to hit the lead and she was the one to run down on the straight.
The challengers came but Secret Agenda booted away for Oliver in a dominant performance to beat home the in-form local Lloyd Kennewell-rained Viddora who came off a Group 3 RN Irwin Stakes win at the track a fortnight back.
Rounding out the Robert Sangster Stakes trifecta in third was I Am A Star in another tough run from the youngster.
Price could now press onto the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival with Secret Agenda who is nominated for Eagle Farm features including the $700,000 Group 1 Kingsford-Smith Cup (1300m) on May 27 and the $1.5 million Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) the following month.
For the best autumn and winter racing odds on this year’s Robert Sangster Stakes winner Secret Agenda next race check out Ladbrokes.com.au today.
2017 Robert Sangster Stakes Results & Finishing Order
Morphettville Race 7 – 06/05/2017
| Place | # | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Br. | Wgt. | SP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | SECRET AGENDA | Mick Price | Damien Oliver | – | 16 | 56.5kg | $15 |
| 2 | 5 | VIDDORA | Lloyd Kennewell | Joe Bowditch | 1.8L | 3 | 56.5kg | $8.50 |
| 3 | 17 | I AM A STAR (NZ) | Shane Nichols | Dean Yendall | 1.9L | 2 | 55kg | $6 |
| 4 | 18 | MISSROCK | Robbie Laing | Damian Lane | 2.2L | 5 | 55kg | $31 |
| 5 | 6 | EGYPTIAN SYMBOL | Bjorn Baker | Jason Collett | 2.3L | 8 | 56.5kg | $7 |
| 6 | 1 | ENGLISH | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Ben Melham | 3L | 11 | 56.5kg | $6.50 |
| 7 | 10 | I AM ZELADY | Joseph Pride | Noel Callow | 3.5L | 7 | 56.5kg | $26 |
| 8 | 19 | LEGLESS VEUVE (NZ) | Stuart Webb | Regan Bayliss | 3.5L | 20 | 55kg | $31 |
| 9 | 11 | RAVI | Peter & Paul Snowden | Kerrin McEvoy | 3.6L | 15 | 56.5kg | $21 |
| 10 | 4 | SUPER CASH | Andrew Noblet | Ms Katelyn Mallyon | 4.1L | 12 | 56.5kg | $7.50 |
| 11 | 2 | SHEIDEL | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Joao Moreira | 4.2L | 10 | 56.5kg | $4.80F |
| 12 | 12 | MISS GUNPOWDER | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Dwayne Dunn | 4.7L | 14 | 56.5kg | $31 |
| 13 | 16 | EVERY FAITH | Robert Smerdon | Daniel Moor | 4.7L | 1 | 56.5kg | $101 |
| 14 | 7 | CAVALOCE | Will Clarken | Mark Zahra | 5.1L | 19 | 56.5kg | $81 |
| 15 | 8 | NOW OR LATER (IRE) | Robert Smerdon | Craig Williams | 5.8L | 6 | 56.5kg | $16 |
| 16 | 13 | A LOTTA LOVE | Sam Pritchard-Gordon | Jamie Mott | 6.5L | 9 | 56.5kg | $51 |
| 17 | 14 | BEAUTIFUL FLYER | Len Jarvis | Paul Gatt | 9.1L | 18 | 56.5kg | $81 |
| 18 | 20 | HEAR THE CHANT | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Cory Parish | 10.4L | 17 | 55kg | $91 |
| 19 | 9 | SCARLET BILLOWS | Darren Weir | John Allen | 10.4L | 4 | 56.5kg | $61 |
| 20 | 15 | LAKE COMO (NZ) | Pat Hyland | Stephen Baster | 13.4L | 13 | 56.5kg | $51 |
| – | 22e | SELENIA | Robbie Griffiths | – | – | 0 | – | – |
| – | 21e | SWEET SHERRY | Brent Stanley | Luke Currie | – | 0 | – | – |
