Trainer Vaughan Marshall and jockey MJ Byleveld bounced back to form at Scottsville on Sunday with a confidence boosting feature double on the eve of the launch of the SA Champions Season.
MJ Byleveld gets The Secret Is Out up to win a thriller
The Milnerton-based pair have always enjoyed great success at Scottsville and they would have been thrilled with the return to winning form of their promising Gr1 winning 2yo The Secret Is Out, who put a miserable Cape summer campaign behind her with the assistance of blinkers.
Vaughan Marshall – great job with a top horse
Facing an accomplished field of 13 speed ladies, The Secret Is Out looked to have her work cut out and went off at 17-2 in the R250 000 Gr3 Poinsettia Stakes.
From her wide draw, MJ Byleveld had the 3yo relaxed and sticking to her station about five lengths off as Neala and Old Em showed the way ahead of Vision To Kill and Real Princess.
At the 400m, Real Princess loomed up with Live Life unleashing her challenge down the centre.
At this stage The Secret Is Out had a mountain to climb but started finding her stride as the leaders stuck to their guns.
At the 250m Live Life was finishing strongly and Aldo Domeyer’s body language spoke of a win.
But Byleveld was hard at work and The Secret Is Out, who is likely to go for the SA Fillies Sprint at this track, galloped powerfully, flying up late on the outside to beat the longshot Vision To Kill by a half length in a time of 67.43 secs.
In a finish dominated by the 3yo’s, the favourite Live Life just weakened late to be beaten a further head into third.
Relocated Milnerton trainer Shane Humby celebrated his first feature runner out of Ashburton as Neala boosted the quartets to squeak into fourth – under a length off the winner.
The second favourite Real Princess, who won this race last year, looked dangerous but faded late for a 2,85 length ninth position. She can be expected to improve with fitness.
The Secret Is Out was bred by the BBP Syndicate and is a daughter of Captain Al out of the outstanding six-time winning Secret Of Victoria (Goldkeeper). Both were trained by Vaughan Marshall!
That also makes The Secret Is Out a full sister to the top class All Is Secret who was also trained by Vaughan Marshall.
The Secret Is Out, who won the Strelitzia Stakes on the corresponding day last year has won 4 races with 1 place from 8 starts and took her stakes bank to R722 275.
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Gr3 Poinsettia Stakes (SAf-Gr3)
Scottsville, South Africa, April 30, R250k, 1200m, turf, good, 1.07.43
1 – THE SECRET IS OUT (SAF), 58.5, b f 3, Captain Al (SAF) – Secret Of Victoria (SAF) by Goldkeeper (USA). Owner Messrs G M Miller & B G Nelson; Breeder BBP Syndicate; trainer VH Marshall; jockey M Byleveld
2 – Vision To Kill (SAF), 55.5, b f 3, Kildonan (SAF) – Royal Vision (SAF) by Alami (USA)
3 – Live Life (SAF), 57.5, b f 3, Trippi (USA) – Viva (SAF) by National Assembly (CAN)
Margins: 0.50, 0.05, 0.25
