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By Ray Hickson

Trainer James Cummings has sounded a warning to In Secret’s rivals in Saturday’s Group 1 $1m Chandon Golden Rose (1400m) that the exciting filly is still on the improve as she attempts to create some history at Rosehill Gardens.

Godolphin trainer James Cummings (Pic: Bradley Photos).

It’s been well documented that no filly has won the Golden Rose in the spring, or since it became a Group 1 in 2009, and only Forensics in the autumn of 2008, the EI impacted season, has been able to beat the boys.

But beating the boys is something the current group of fillies have made a habit of and In Secret’s runaway win in the Run To The Rose (1200m) two weeks ago is the latest example.

Fillies won four of the five Group 1s for two-year-olds last season, plus the Magic Millions and Inglis Millennium.

“She’s yet another filly to come along and beat the colts in this generation,’’ Cummings said on Melbourne radio.

“Her win in what has traditionally been the main lead up to the Golden Rose was outstanding. She was able to absorb the pressure from off the speed and sail past in pretty good order.”

Cummings described the Golden Rose as a “good fork in the road” race for the rest of the spring and as far as In Secret is concerned she could end up backing up into a Flight Stakes at a mile or even taking Godolphin’s TAB Everest slot coming back to 1200m.

As dynamic as she was in claiming the Run To The Rose, a race that has produced eight of the past 10 Golden Rose winners, Cummings said she’s yet to reach her peak.

That’s ominous as she clocked easily the fastest last 600m in that race, running 33.47 (Punter’s Intelligence) and the fastest last 200m of 11.23.

“I think she is still on the improve,’’ he said.

“She was only second-up and three weeks between runs, where the circumstances weren’t ideal as she wasn’t able to run the week before (scratching her from the Furious on a heavy track).

“She’s trained on beautifully since then, her coat has continued to improve all the time. She’s been a little woolly and a little backward in her physique but in her form rather faultless I would say.

“It’s all falling into place for In Secret quite nicely.”

Godolphin has a strong record in the Golden Rose winning with Bivouac (2019), Astern (2016), Exosphere (2015) and under the Darley banner, as the operation was known until mid-2014, with Epaulette (2012) and Denman (2009).

If In Secret is the number one seed, Cummings has a more than handy back up in Golden Mile, a son of Astern, who earned his ticket with a brilliant display in the Ming Dynasty some 40 minutes before the filly’s Run To The Rose victory.

The market suggests the Godolphin duo have a stranglehold on the race, with In Secret $3 favourite with TAB on Tuesday and Golden Mile at $5.50.

Cummings said it’s up to the colt to rise again from his 3-1/4 length win over the Golden Rose distance but is also of the belief there’s plenty of scope for that improvement.

In Secret (@TommyBerry21) races into favouritism for the Group 1 $1m Golden Rose with a dominant performance in the Run To The Rose, racing past Best Of Bordeaux with Sweet Ride in third. @tabcomau pic.twitter.com/znzFwS7RWX

— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) September 10, 2022

“I think the Golden Rose is going to be a bit higher pressure race than the Ming Dynasty where he was on the minimum, so he has got to keep improving,’’ he said on RSN.

“But we’ve really liked what we’ve seen from that horse between starts. He was second-up up to 1400m after an excellent return over thirteen and he put a good gap on them.

“He’s still got to keep rising to the occasion, I don’t think you’ve seen the best of that horse either so he might be able to bridge the gap to some of the horses who have already been exposed to the tougher races.

“He’s going to be cherry ripe for 1400m on the weekend at Rosehill.”

Sam Clipperton continues his association with Golden Mile, who drew 11 in the 17 horse field, while James McDonald has the plum ride on In Secret who jumps from gate three.

Check out the fields, form and replays for Golden Rose Day at Rosehill Gardens