PALMERSTON NORTH - Senior jockey Jim Walker admits it's hard to imagine Secret Liaisons lowering the colours of either Spring Rain or Alberton Star in tomorrow's $120,000 Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes at Awapuni.
But the TV Heart Throb filly, trained outside Palmerston North by Wayne Herbert, has an abundance of talent, and Walker said a winning run, or close to it, may not be out of the question.
"When you look through the opposition she has defeated in two runs to date, there isn't much of a guide to Sires' Produce prospects," Walker said.
"But what she has done, and how she has gone about it was very professional.
"I have no doubt she's an exceptional filly, and will be competitive in the top league next season, but the $64,000 question is whether that talent will be exposed on Saturday."
Secret Liaisons has drawn perfectly at No 3, with the two Graeme Rogerson-Keith Hawtin runners, Princess Marengo and Royston, inside her.
Walker warns not to read too much into the filly's slow beginnings in her two races.
"She probably did miss the kick on debut at Wanganui, but it was more of a planned move at Awapuni last week in the small five-horse field," Walker said.
"We didn't want her jumping out last week and scorching away in front.
"That wouldn't have given us a fair line on her ability to come off the pace, especially with the Sires' Produce Stakes in mind."
Walker concluded by answering one simple question. Would he be surprised if Secret Liaisons dished it up to the stars in the Sires' Produce Stakes tomorrow?
His emphatic reply was no.
Walker has already won two Manawatu Sires' Produce races on Star Board (1985) and Satisfy (1987) and neither was a top fancy going into the race.
The clash of Spring Rain and Alberton Star has been long awaited, and 2-year-old supremacy is riding on the result at Awapuni and the Ellerslie equivalent next month.
Both already have a group race win under their belt - Spring Rain (group three) at Trentham and Alberton Star (group two) at New Plymouth.
Spring Rain has amassed $332,625 from her unbeaten four starts. She picked up $250,000 of that by winning the $475,000 Mercedes Super Bonus Classique (1200m) at Te Rapa two starts ago.
Last time out, she won the first leg of the inaugural triple crown series for 2-year-olds, the Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1200m) at Trentham.
A win in the two Sires' Produce races, at Awapuni and Ellerslie respectively, will land the Centaine filly's connections a $1 million bonus.
- NZPA
Racing: Secret Liaisons could trouble stars
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.