Begg Aims Top Duo At Cox Plate Glory

Secret Admirer

Secret Admirer will be aimed at the Cox Plate after missing the Autumn due to injury

Trainer Grahame Begg is hoping to take advantage of the absence of champion middle distance runner So You Think by aiming two of his horses at the $3 million Cox Plate in October.

Secret Admirer and Ilovethiscity have been elected by the trainer as his best hopes of crossing over to weight-for-age racing successfully.

Begg believes that there will not be a great deal of possible Cox Plate contenders in Australia this year.

“There is a bit of a void,” he said.

The trainer will nominate both his hopefuls for this year’s Cox Plate, but will have to wait to see closer to the date whether or not they are up to the task.

“Ilovethiscity and Secret Admirer will be entered for the Cox Plate but saying they are going to run is two different things, Begg said.

“We will just have to wait and see.”

Both Ilovethiscity and Secret Admirer were due to trial at Warwick Farm today, however, the Australian Turf Club labelled the meeting as too rain effected to go ahead.

The trials will now take place this Friday.

“I think it is a benefit waiting a few days for things to dry up,” Begg said.

“You don’t want to be trialling these good horses on really heavy tracks.

The trials are set to feature star two-year-olds Anise, Fast And Sexy, Glissade, Pane In The Glass, Satin Shoes and Streama in one heat alone.

Begg will give Ilovethiscity and Secret Admirer “soft” trails on Friday.

“It has been a bit trying with the wet weather but we have got them to the stage where they are fit enough to trial,” he said.

“They will trial again on August 11 and then I’ll get them both ready to resume on August 20 at Warwick Farm.

“I’d say Ilovethiscity will go first-up in the Show County Quality and Secret Admirer will run in the Toy Show Quality.”

Beg believes that Ilovethiscity has excelled physically since his fifth place finish behind Sacred Choice in the Doncaster Mile in April.

“I still believe he is probably another six months away from being fully matured,” Begg said.

“I’m just going to start him off low key in the Show County then possibly go to a race like the Tramway Handicap before stepping him up to the George Main Stakes.

“He has that turn of foot you need to be a weight-for-age horse.”

Secret Admirer was unable to race during the autumn due to a ligament injury, but Begg feels she is up to the task of winning some of this year’s major spring features.

“We gave her sufficient time and I’m sure it has helped her,” he said.

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