Successful sortie: Luke Nolen steers Secret Flyer (No.3) to victory in the Monash Stakes at Caulfield yesterday. Photo: Ken Irwin
VICTORIA’S leading rider Luke Nolen was yesterday handed a suspension but still earned some spending money for a well-earned winter Queensland holiday when he partnered Secret Flyer to a soft victory in the listed Monash Stakes at Caulfield.
Nolen, who has successfully defended his title as Melbourne’s premier rider this season, was outed for 11 meetings after being found guilty of careless riding in race two on You Think So. But his ride on Secret Flyer two hours later was anything but careless as he gave the rising eight-year-old the perfect run and Secret Flyer charged away to bring up more than $500,000 in career stakes earnings.
”It was a really hot pace [set by Gold Trail] and we got the lovely sit as we hoped,” Nolen explained after Secret Flyer’s length victory. ”He had a good look when we got there [to the front] as he got to them so quickly after turning for home.”
Starting at $5.50, Secret Flyer cruised to the line to record his 11th career win, a length in front of mare Rue Maple, who was backed late from $18 to start at $13, with three-quarters of a length to the $3.40 favourite Warm Love in third place.
Nolen, who picked up $3000 for his part in the win, said he was confident just a few bounds after the start when group 1 winner Gold Trail jumped quickly and crossed the field to find the rail after just 100 metres. ”It was a really hot pace and that played into our hands and I liked the way he went to them and put them away.
”I’ve seen plenty of the horse but have never been on his back until today. Mark [Young, trainer] filled me in on his idiosyncrasies and we worked them and really he never gave me too many worries.”
Secret Flyer only six weeks ago broke a two-year drought when he scored over the 1000-metre trip at Caulfield. Young said the horse was thriving on not having to deal with hard tracks. ”… I’m thrilled with the way he’s going and, while the wet tracks are around, we’ll pick and choose our way through these sorts of races.”
For Nolen, yesterday’s win on Secret Flyer was his 70th in Melbourne this season, surpassing his tally of 67 in his first Melbourne premiership win last season. It was his second consecutive Monash Stakes victory – last year he partnered comeback sprinter Reward For Effort to win the race.
While no jockey likes to be suspended, the timing of yesterday’s penalty could not have been better for Nolen as he had already booked a week-long holiday in Queensland. His absence may cause a slight worry for the Peter Moody stable, though, as the leading trainer tries to become just the third trainer ever to reach 100 Melbourne winners in a season.
After gaining yet another Caulfield winner yesterday when Mr Make Believe won his seventh race for the season in the final event, Moody is on 97.5 wins with four Melbourne meetings left before the end of the season on July 31.