Secret out to show his class

Bold Secret runs in VRC Member Sarah Hart Trophy on Saturday and enters the race after three jump-out victories at Pakenham, the most recent on July 8. 

A son of Brazen Beau from Private Nancy, Bold Secret traces back on the dam side to Nancy Eleanor, who provided Stokes with one of his first Stakes race victories when successful in the Adelaide Guineas (1600m) at Morphettville in 2003. 

Nancy Eleanor went on to produce Private Nancy and an older half-sibling to that mare Phelan Ready who won the 2009 Group 1 Golden Slipper. 

Like Nancy Eleanor, Bold Secret is raced by the Broad family, who happen to be one of the first clients of Stokes when he took out a trainers' license back in 2000. 

"It's a funny story," Stokes said. 

"The Boards, they were one of my first clients and they had the dam Private Nancy. 

"I trained the (Bold Secret's) granddam Nancy Eleanor, and she went to stud and was also the mother of Phelan Ready. 

"Nancy Eleanor was one of my first ever stakes winners. Joe Bowditch rode it, it won the Adelaide Guineas, a long time ago. 

"And Joe has done a bit of work on this horse as well, but Craig Williams will ride him on Saturday. 

"It's nice to see another race in the colours. The dad passed away a few years ago, but the sons have kept it all going."