Champagne Stakes an Option for Fernhill Handicap Winner Whispered Secret

April 8, 2017

Champagne Stakes an Option for Fernhill Handicap Winner Whispered Secret

Whispered Secret has overcome a tough run in transit to win Race 1 on Day 2 of The Championships at Royal Randwick; the time-honoured Listed Fernhill Handicap (1600m).

Whispered Secret maintained to the line to win the Listed Fernhill Handicap this afternoon. Photo: Steve Hart

Whispered Secret maintained to the line to win the Listed Fernhill Handicap this afternoon. Photo: Steve Hart

Trainer James Cummings saddled Prized Icon to a smart win in last year’s Fernhill Handicap and was confident that Whispered Secret was a live chance of defending the stable’s crown in the race this afternoon.

Jumping from the gates well, jockey Jason Collett settled the filly within the field of ten as All Too Huiying, Coulthard and Ace High dictated the early tempo across the back straight and approaching the bend.

Having been caught three-wide in transit without cover, the daughter of High Chaparral was offered a clear racing line upon arriving at the final straight, but faced a big task in winning the race after doing plenty of work through the middle-stages of the contest.

Immediately responding when asked for an extra effort, Whispered Secret worked to the lead with reasonable ease and sustained a strong-enough sprint to defeat Toga Picta by half a length; All Too Huiying boxing on to finish third.

Collett delivered a smart performance aboard Whispered Secret tow in the Fernhill Handicap and was thrilled to partner the filly to a smart black type win early on Day 2 of The Championships.

“It’s lovely to get on a nice filly like this,” Collett said after the race.

“She tracked a wee-bit wide early, but was able to relax and then just slid out on that slow tempo and it worked out really well.

“She was very raw still and she had the front pretty early. Hughie (Bowman, Medal Kun) came and pressured me up the rise and I hadn’t really asked her.

“When she hit the front she had a good look around, but she’s a lovely filly.”

Whispered Secret has only made four competitive appearances at the races since making her debut at Rosehill on Christmas Eve and broke through for a maiden win in the Joshua Caruso Foundation Plate (1350m) at Newcastle on March 25th, in what was her only other start prior to the Fernhill Handicap.

Punters who backed Whispered Secret to be the Fernhill Handicap winner have taken advantage of odds as good as $4.80!

2017 Fernhill Handicap Results

Finish No. Horse Trainer Jockey Margin Bar. Weight Starting Price
1 9 WHISPERED SECRET James Cummings Jason Collett 6 54kg $4.40
2 3 TOGA PICTA John O’Shea James Doyle 1.3L 9 57kg $8
3 2 ALL TOO HUIYING Gary Moore Tim Clark 2.8L 5 57kg $11
4 8 EARTH ANGEL David & B Hayes & T Dabernig Kerrin McEvoy 3.1L 8 54kg $11
5 4 COULTHARD Peter & Paul Snowden Blake Shinn 3.2L 7 56kg $13
6 6 ACE HIGH David Payne Corey Brown 4.4L 3 55kg $7
7 10 YORKSHIRE ROCK (NZ) Scott Singleton Christian Reith 6.9L 10 54kg $201
8 1 MURAAHIB David & B Hayes & T Dabernig Damien Oliver 9.2L 2 58kg $4.20F
9 5 MEDAL KUN James Cummings Hugh Bowman 11.2L 4 56kg $15
10 7 ZEPPELIN Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Tommy Berry 12L 1 55kg $20

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