Horses To Follow » Il Segreto

Il Segreto

Territories and Dutch Connection fought out the finish of the Group 1 Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly last Sunday, but the performance that Il Segreto put up in finishing fifth may have been significantly better than will generally be appreciated, and he could be the horse to take out of the race from a betting perspective going forward.

Fast away from stall six, Christian Delcher-Sanchez’s colt raced up with the fast pace and wide throughout. Freer than ideal as they started the long turn for home, he made ground wide around the outside, widest of all and about four horse-widths off the inside rail, and he came under a ride at the top of the home straight. He did hit the front for a few strides when he joined and passed the pace-setting Aktabantay. While he didn’t last in front too long, he still kept on well after he was passed by Dutch Connection and Territories. That pair pulled well clear, but Il Segreto was beaten less than two lengths for third place.

This was a race in which they went fast from early, and in which it was an advantage to be held up. Territories and Dutch Connection may have been the two best horses in the race anyway, but their superiority was probably accentuated by the fact that they raced in last and second last places respectively through the early stages of the race. Not only was Il Segreto right up behind the pace from early, but he was keen, he had no cover, he was widest of all throughout, and he made ground around the home turn, wide, and into the home straight, just as the race was hotting up.

The Turtle Bowl colt had a low profile coming into this race, he was allowed go off at 25/1, but he had won his previous two races in the French provinces, at Bordeaux and Toulouse, by two lengths and four lengths respectively, and he proved on Sunday that he was not completely out of place in Group 1 company at Chantilly, in a Prix Jean Prat. He will be interesting now dropped a little in grade, possibly to Group 2 or Group 3 level, where he could still be under-rated. His sire won the Prix Jean Prat but he stayed further, while his pedigree suggests that 10 furlongs should be well within range. He would be interesting now stepped up to nine or 10 furlongs, stepped down slightly in grade and ridden more patiently.

12th July 2015