Grafton preview, best bets, inside mail for Sunday, March 16, 2025
A training masterstroke by Aiden St Vincent saw barrier rogue Secret Keeper score a first-up win and the horseman feels he can go back-to-back.
Aiden St Vincent performed a training feat few others could match in this season or any other when the barrier rogue and long absent galloper Secret Keeper won first time out under the new management 13 days ago.
A son of Newhaven Park Stud’s resident dual Group 1-winning racehorse and stallion Xtravagant, Secret Keeper hadn’t been seen in action for almost 12 months prior to what will go down as the gelding’s first win in his Port Macquarie Maiden.
“I purchased him very cheaply, he had an embargo on him for not going into the barriers,” St Vincent explained.
“So, I did a lot of barrier work with him. I gave him a handful of jumpouts and one trial but in doing all that, I obviously got him very fit and forward so he was well and truly fit enough to have run that distance (1590m).
“The only reason why I thought he couldn’t win was if I had taken the competitiveness out of him.
“I had to give him so much boot camp work so to speak. I really had to get this horse back to a spot where he did what I wanted him to do and in doing that, I didn’t know I’d taken the edge off him.
“It wasn’t a surprise to see him win but it was a very big relief and thrill to be honest.
“I hadn’t put this much work into a horse for a long time to get him to the races.”
Having pulled off one unlikely training masterpiece, St Vincent will need to deliver another.
Horses second-up off a long-break are almost always given a wide berth by punters, but St
The Extreme Cat takes out the Super Maiden plate with @AshMorgan6 in the saddle for Nathan Doyle! pic.twitter.com/E6YnIzL6iI
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 30, 2023
The Form: Complete NSW Racing thoroughbred form, including video replays and all you need to know about every horse, jockey and trainer. Find a winner here!
Vincent is confident Secret Keeper can prove to be an exception to the rule when he tees off again in the Yamba Golf Class 1 & Maiden Plate (1700m).
“I can’t stop feeding this horse,” St Vincent said.
“He eats too much and he’s got too much energy so I feel that he was that fit to go to the races first-up and he has come through it well.
“There is no reason why this horse should have any reason not to be able to perform again.”
St Vincent, meanwhile, has a choice of two races over the coming days for the stable’s tenacious chestnut Golden Dubai who is surely on the cusp of a second career win after back-to-back placings in his only two 2025 appearances.
“His run first-up was very good considering he hadn’t been to the races for a fair while,” St Vincent said.
“And he is a horse that is progressing along mentally so I was very pleased with that.
“Then second up, I think his run improved from first-up
“(Jockey) Matthew McGuren was full of praise for him.
“He beat the rest of the field by a considerable margin and the winner is obviously going places.”
Golden Dubai is an exceedingly well-bred racehorse.
The Victorian bred four-year-old is a son of the current leading Australian General Sire, Pride Of Dubai, out of a mare by four-time Champion sire, Snitzel.
His grandam, Five Star Belle, is a General Nediym half-sister to Aragen, the Rory’s Jester filly who won the QTC Sires’ Produce in 1994 at the expense of Queensland icons Chief De Beers and Brave Warrior.
SHAYNE O’CASS’ TOP SELECTIONS
BEST BET
Race 1 No. 7: Rainbow Lass
Runner-up at her last two starts, both at this track. Getting close.
NEXT BEST
Race 9 No. 13: Deep Stealth
Impressed on debut with that Ballina win on Valentine’s Day. Has talent.
VALUE BET
Race 4 No. 13: Miss Midas Touch
Good on debut, better again the next time. Go well.
QUADDIE
Race 6: 1, 5, 7, 8
Race 7: 4, 5, 7
Race 8: 1, 3, 4, 5, 8
Race 9: 13
JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Rising star Jett Newman can add to her ever expanding tally.
INSIDE MAIL - GRAFTON
Rainbow Lass has two seconds, a third and three fifths from her six starts and has never been beaten more than a tick over three lengths in all that time. Her two best runs are her last two starts, both here. Release The Wolves turned in a fine debut when a length second to Daulton at Coffs. Drawn barrier 2 again. Warrior Brae was a distant third here on debut but behind a good horse.
Bet: Rainbow Lass to win
Amalgamation was dominant, winning at the Gold Coast albeit four weeks ago. Suit Day has won twice and placed eight times, five of them seconds, so is reliable. Placed to perfection and acts on Soft. Hallowed Son has claims. Charmed Destiny has only managed to win once in his 38 starts but it was at Grafton. Getting close again. Dark Thinker is fit and should be prominent throughout.
Bet: Amalgamation to win or if scratched Suit Day to win
High Class Roller is a Matthew Dunn three-year-old with a tidy resume off six starts for a win and three thirds. That win was at Ballina on Valentine’s Day at his last start with rising star Jett Newman doing the honours. Paul Shailer-trained gelding has finished runner-up at his last two including in a Class 1 at Eagle Farm. Secret Keeper was impressive first-up at Port Macquarie.
Bet: High Class Roller to win, quinella 2, 6
A great ride from Jett Newman sees the @mattydunnracing trained High Class Roller win at double figure odds! 💰 pic.twitter.com/dczuZM1Y0Q
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 14, 2025
Miss Midas Touch was $18 into $11 on debut at Port Macquarie and gave a great sight when coming from way back to clock in fourth. She stepped to 1400m (at home at Coffs Harbour) soon after and raced handier, finishing a close second. Go well again. Blue-blooded three-year-old Denuto should only improve off that adequate fourth at Newcastle at his first try. Wants 1400m big time. Phoenix Power has been running well in strong races lately.
Bet: Miss Midas Touch to win, quinella 4, 13
Raised By Wolves has won three from 25 with six placings; some of them could have been in the win column but for his get back and run on racing pattern. He got close at Coffs Harbour last start, having drawn 10 of 10 and being ninth on the turn. Grafton 1400m - tick. Hardley Grey has finished on the podium at 25 of his 52 starts which makes him a genuine each-way gamble, more so if the track dries out a bit.
Bet: Raised By Wolves, Hardley Grey each-way
Dazzling Robert has a win and a second from his only two starts on Heavy ground. Placed three from eight on Soft and has won on a Good track so seems to have most bases covered in that regard. He gets back most of the time but that said, he hasn’t had barrier 1 or anything close to that for a while. Under Twenty Two has a very good record here at home. Even so, he scored an ‘away’ win last start at Ballina.
Bet: Dazzling Robert to win, exacta 8 to beat 5
An easy win to Lady Wardell in the Sprint at @tweedrjc! pic.twitter.com/z0GiweWPWU
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 23, 2024
Lady Wardell is a handy mare with a record of five wins and eight placings (four seconds, four thirds) from her 22 starts. One of her wins is here at Grafton where she was also fourth in the 2024 Mothers Gift. Stablemate Byron Eyes has run more good races than bad. Her chances improve as the track improves. My Mum’s Toyboy will find this easier than his NRRA Qualifier tilt last month.
Bet: Lady Wardell to win, Daily Double 1st Leg (4), 2nd leg (13)
Picupstixx and Snatchreilly aren’t guaranteed starters but will be hard to beat if either or both come. Airswing is a cleverly-named son of Trapeze Artist from the Matthew Dunn stable who opened his second campaign with an on-pace 1175m win here on a Heavy 10. Last trial at Beaudesert was good. Aiden St Vincent’s Golden Dubai just keeps stepping up every time. He is third-up off a third and a second so logic suggests a win is imminent.
Bet: Golden Dubai to place
Deep Stealth races in those same lilac and purple colours worn by her close relation, Shania Dane. This valuable filly trialled a few times in Sydney but was moved on to Matthew Dunn who won with her first time out at Ballina on Valentine’s Day. Has a bright future. Miss Mazerati has three times in her last six starts and maybe could have won one or two more than that. She will likely be steaming home again. Wendt is a big market watch.
Bet: Deep Stealth to win, exacta 13 to beat 3
GRAFTON
BEST BET
Race 1 No. 7: Rainbow Lass
Runner-up at her last two starts, both of them here at Grafton. Getting close.
NEXT BEST
Race 9 No. 13: Deep Stealth
Impressed on debut with that Ballina win on Valentine’s Day. Has talent.
VALUE
Race 4 No. 13: Miss Midas Touch
Good on debut, better again the next time. Go well.
QUADDIE
Race 6: 1,5,7,8
Race 7: 4,5,7
Race 8: 1,3,4,5,8
Race 9: 13
JOCKEY TO FOLLOW
Rising star Jett Newman can add to her ever expanding tally today
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