Trainer Mick Nolan takes aim at Sandown Guineas with ‘freak’ Stylish Secret

An author and a late Victorian racing icon played an early part on a pony-sized performer’s road to the Sandown Guineas at Caulfield.

An author and a late Victorian racing icon played an early part on a pony-sized performer’s road to Saturday’s Group 2 Sandown Guineas at Caulfield.

Mornington trainer Mick Nolan will give his stable star Stylish Secret the chance to race for $300,000 at the end of a spring preparation that has taken his owners on a terrific ride.

Stylish Secret’s path to Nolan’s stable started with a conversation between the late form guru Deane Lester and respected racing author Helen Thomas a few years ago.

• PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet’s team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW!

Nolan said Thomas found Stylish Secret, a half-brother to the handy galloper Unseen Ruler, via a search of an online auction outlet.

“Helen Thomas, she and Deane Lester were very good friends, and he used to go on to her show on ABC Radio years ago,” Nolan said.

“Deane suggested to Helen that she give me a horse to train when I first started and told her to have a look at Gavelhouse.

“She found this weanling for $2000 and Unseen Ruler hadn’t raced.

“She gave him 12 months and had him broken in and in that time, Unseen Ruler has started kicking goals.”

• Four-Play, Quadzilla: $200 betting strategy for Caulfield

Nolan said Thomas wanted to send Stylish Secret to New Zealand for a ready to run sale but the horse’s lack of size turned off prospective buyers.

The trainer suggested to Thomas that he get a group of owners together to buy Stylish Secret for a modest sum in a win-win situation for all.

“A couple of people looked at him and didn’t want him because he was a bit small,” Nolan said.

“I said to her that I’d put some friends into him and buy him off her for $30,000.”

Stylish Secret (right) winning the Victoria Derby Preview at Flemington. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

Stylish Secret’s ownership group, which includes former Richmond captain and full-forward Jeff Hogg, has landed in the winner’s circle at Flemington while having the thrill of a runner on Victoria Derby Day.

Nolan said Stylish Secret has thrived on racing, which led him to cut short the gelding’s spell after his win in the Victoria Derby Trial in September.

“When I first saw him coming off the truck, ‘I thought, Jesus, what have I bought here?’ because he was only a pony,” Nolan said.

“But the funny thing about him is that he’s very smart and just loves being a racehorse.

“He loves being in the stable, he always whinnies at you in the stable and never leaves a grain.

“He’s just a little freak.”

• Early Oil for Zipping Classic day: $15 value bet

Stylish Secret will tackle the Sandown Guineas four weeks after his midfield effort behind the subsequent Group 1 Thousand Guineas quinella Another Prophet and Aeliana in the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes.

Nolan said he would have preferred a shorter break between runs but his charge should be competitive in an open edition of the Sandown Guineas.

“I would have preferred three weeks but you don’t always get what you want so he had about 10 days at the beach and had a jumpout last week,” Nolan said.

“There’s probably three really good chances, three or four horses on the way through and there’s a couple of horses, like ours, that have been up a while and are very fit.

“He’s in great spirits and if he hasn’t trained off, he’ll be competitive.

“He just tries so hard.”

Originally published as Trainer Mick Nolan takes aim at Sandown Guineas with ‘freak’ Stylish Secret