2nd-Apr-2016

I am backing Secret Brief this morning. The Godolphin horse ran a cracker to finish third behind Farlow and Bertiewhittle over seven furlongs at Doncaster last August off a mark of 99. He didn’t have the race run to suit that day, he didn’t have a clear passage and he had to make his ground on the far side, so he did well to get as close as he did.

He then ran another big race to finish a close-up third in a good handicap at Ascot off today’s mark of 100, before he left for Dubai.

His first run in Dubai was forgettable, but he ran a cracker on his second and last run, coming from the rear to finish third behind fellow Godolphin horses Carry On Deryck and Udododontu.

He should do better now returned to a straight mile. We know that he stays a mile well, he has good form at Doncaster, and he won a big sales race on good to soft ground at Newmarket as a juvenile, so he should be fine on the ground. His draw on the wing in stall 22 of 22 is not ideal, but he is a come-from-behind horse, so hopefully William Buick will be able to drop him in where he wants, and pick his passage. That potential negative is more than factored into his odds anyway.

SECRET BRIEF WON (ADV 20/1, SP 12/1)