Racing: Lucky Secret to miss Trentham feature

Lucky Secret is not coming to New Zealand and Cambridge trainer Brent Gillovic is a very happy man.

The outstanding Sydney sprinter was yesterday withdrawn from the Telegraph Handicap on January 23, almost certainly allowing Gillovic's mare Wealth Princess into the field.

The unbeaten Wealth Princess had been sitting on spot No 20 in order of entry into the 18-horse Telegraph field.

South Auckland sprinter Accardo is expected not to start, taking Wealth Princess into No 19 and the withdrawal of Lucky Secret at this early stage places her as the last horse into the Telegraph line-up.

Gillovic could not stop smiling last night.

No reason has been given for Lucky Secret's proposed trip being canned.

Sydney's Jack Petley, who assists New Zealand racing by soliciting Australian horses, yesterday received a phone message from a representative of Tony Vasil's stable to say the trainer had decided to keep the speedster at home. The message was presented without explanation.

Wealth Princess has not looked like being touched in five starts. She missed her chance at group one glory in the $200,000 Blandford Lodge Railway Stakes on New Year's Day after jarring up when winning the Newmarket Handicap with ridiculous ease on a firm track at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.

Gillovic will not be the only New Zealand trainer to be delighted Lucky Secret is not coming to New Zealand.

Lucky Secret is considered superior to A Gold Trail, who came across from Sydney to win the Railway.

When Lucky Secret won the A$100,000 Listed Starlight Stakes at Rosehill on September 19 he carried 60kg and beat A Gold Trail into a close third. A Gold Trail carried 53.5kg.

Lucky Secret would have gone into the Telegraph 4kg better off against A Gold Trail. Lucky Secret has won 14 of his 23 starts and A$955,150 and would have cracked the million-dollar barrier had a virus not stopped him tackling the Winterbottom Stakes in Perth since last racing.

The New Zealand TAB had Lucky Secret favourite from the start of betting and before yesterday's news was quoted at $5.

In a quick reshuffle of the market, Wealth Princess was brought in from $6 equal second favourite to outright favourite at $5.50.

Mufhasa, who shared that second line of betting with her, is now at $6, Coup Align remains on the same $7 and A Gold Trail has lengthened from $7 to $8.

Warwick Farm trainer Gary Portelli arrived in New Zealand yesterday to watch A Gold Trial gallop between races at Te Rapa today. Portelli said that successful Railway Hcp jockey Michael Rodd would take the mount at Trentham.

Hours before the Lucky Secret news came the official confirmation that Keano, as expected, would definitely be making the trip for the Telegraph.

Keano is owned by Waikato Stud principal Garry Chittick. He is a back-running horse who can finish powerfully and will be ridden by Leith Innes.

Keano is quoted at $16.

* Red Ruler, impressive winner of the City Of Auckland Cup at Ellerslie on New Year's Day, remains a hot favourite for the Century City Wellington Cup on January 30.

The $2.80 is a long way from inviting for punters as is the same price about Wall Street to win the Thorndon Mile on the same day.

Booming and Young Centaur are joint second elects at $8 in the cup and Tell A Tale and Culminate are similarly locked on $8 as the next two fancies after Wall Street in the Thorndon.