Dead-heat victory for smart mare Secret Minx

Rising local mare Secret Minx claimed victory in Saturday’s dramatic $100,000 Tabtouch Regional Championship: The Road To Ascot (1200m) final after a thrilling dead-heat finish with Granlarado.

Four Albany gallopers made the trip to Ascot to compete in the championship final after being the first four across the line in this month’s heat at Mt Barker Turf Club. The Mark Nelson-trained Secret Minx attracted some support in betting to start an $11 chance on the tote but sped across from her wide barrier to take up the lead for jockey Glenn Smith.

Smith was able to dictate terms in front and raced clear by a couple of lengths early in the home straight before the challengers flew home down the outside in the final 200m. Granlarado, favourite Luke’s Gold, Border Scott and fellow Albany runner Quality Fair all produced strong finishes with Granlarado grabbing Secret Minx right on the line.

The judges quickly called for a photo finish to try to find a winner but after several minutes a dead-heat was declared between Secret Minx and Granlarado, with Luke’s Gold a head away in third, Border Scott a further head back in fourth and Quality Fair which snuck up on the rail claiming fifth.

Nelson was delighted with the performance of his five-year-old, who won her heat in Mt Barker and jumped 1.5kg in weight.

“It was a super effort considering she crossed to lead, dictated then sprinted clear and held on,” he said.

“I think Glenn went a bit early on her and I declared a dead-heat straight away.

“She knew she had been in the race when she walked off Ascot.

“We will keep her going through her classes but she has fur-nished into a lovely type of mare.”

Quality Fair, trained by Paul Hunter, was an enormous second-up coming from last on the home corner to get beaten a long neck after also overcoming a wide draw.

Fellow Albany chance Chengdu was 13th on the turn and finished 10th for jockey Chris Parnham while the other local hope Naturaliste did too much work speeding across from gate 16 to sit outside Secret Minx before tiring to run 12th.