Sydney Autumn On The Agenda For Price-Trained Fillies

The Mick Price-trained duo of Secret Agenda and Badawiya showed plenty of promise during the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival and the leading trainer is keen to get both horses to Sydney during their autumn campaigns.

Secret Agenda recorded a most impressive victory in the Gucci Stakes during the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival. Photo by: Ultimate Racing Photos

Secret Agenda recorded a most impressive victory in the Gucci Stakes during the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival. Photo by: Ultimate Racing Photos

Secret Agenda was touted as a potential Blue Diamond contender after she made her racing debut with a win in the Whites Wires Plate (1000m) at Moonee Valley on December 12 last year, but a fracture to her near fore splint bone ruled her out of the autumn last year.

The talented filly returned to the races with a win in The Grand Hotel Frankston Handicap (1200m) at Sandown on September 2 and she finished second in both the Group 3 Champagne Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on September 25 and the Group 3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on October 10 before she recorded an outstanding victory on a wet track in the Group 3 Gucci Stakes (1100m) at Flemington on Crown Oaks Day.

Price is now of the opinion that Secret Agenda is a superior wet-tracker and he is hopeful that he will be able to find the right race for the Not A Single Doubt filly during what is generally a wet Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival.

“She is a superb wet-tracker and she obviously won a Group 3 race doing that,” Price told Racing.com.

“If we can get into the Sydney autumn on a wet track and find the right race for her then she will be fine.

“She went out at the right time, had the right preparation, has done very well and Sydney wet tracks will be the way to go.”

Badawiya worked her way through the grades during the 2015 Spring Racing Carnival and she went from a benchmark 64 Handicap at Pakenham to record an impressive victory in the Group 2 Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on October 4.

The Al Maher filly finished a more than credible third behind Stay With Me and Jameka in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield on October 10, but Price did not sound particularly optimistic about her chances in the autumn.

“Badawiya is a little skinny, light filly,” Price said.

“We will bring her back and see how we go.

“She is obviously talented and hopefully she ends up in Sydney.”

Price is chasing his first Group 1 win in Sydney since Lankan Rupee took out the 2014 edition of the T.J. Smith Stakes.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.