Three Secrets’ brave Group performance

Albany galloper Three Secrets finished a gallant sixth in the Group 2 $500,000 Sky Racing WA Guineas (1600m) at Ascot on Saturday for local trainer Steve Wolfe and jockey Shaun McGruddy.

Jumping a $36 chance on the tote, Three Secrets was forced to do plenty of work to cross over from barrier seven before he eventually settled behind leader Salubrious in running.

The So Secret gelding was second as the field turned for home and ran on bravely in the final 200m to cross the line in sixth place, four lengths behind the winner, Perfect Jewel.

It was an impressive performance from the talented three-year-old at just his fourth career start, earning $5000 in stake money for his sixth in the field of 15 horses.

Three Secrets’ performance was Wolfe’s second-best result in the WA Guineas, after Thunderclap Newman ran fifth in the same race back in 2013.

Wolfe still has Three Secrets in the current nominations for the Group 1 $1 million Kingston Town Classic (1800m) on December 9, but the youngster is instead likely to tackle the Lee Steere Classic on the same day.

Fellow youngster Arrum Boy continues to develop this campaign for Wolfe after running a strong third placing in Saturday’s listed $100,000 TABtouch Placid Ark Stakes (1200m).

Arrum Boy (a $30 chance) settled midfield for jockey Peter Hall and was seventh on the turn before sprinting home well to finish third, 1½ lengths from the winner, Ocean Jewel, and with the second-quickest last 600m of the race.

Wolfe’s other runners on day one of the TABtouch Masters carnival were Chasing Chaos and War Jeune, who ran fifth and sixth in the Tourism WA Trophy (1400m), while Mr Utopia was sixth in the listed Carbine Club Of WA Stakes (1400m).

Meanwhile, it was a winning start for Albany mother and daughter combination Sam and Natasha Faithfull in Narrogin last week after the pair combined to win with Twisted Mountain.

With her first runners as a trainer, Sam saddled up Twisted Mountain to win the final race at Narrogin last Thursday with hoop Natasha in the saddle.

Albany rider Mitchell Pateman won the feature race on the card at Narrogin aboard the favourite, Rikki Tikki Tavi, in his only ride of the day, while Faithfull and Albany apprentice Shelby Colgate rode winners on Saturday in Geraldton.

Albany Racing Club will have their second meeting of the season on Friday with a seven-race card programmed.