Sophia’s Secret Has Surgery, Roganella Primed For Guineas
20 June, 2018
Thoroughbred
Talented three-year-old Sophia’s Secret is set to spend an extended period on the sidelines, with trainer Dan Morton confirming she had surgery to fix a throat issue.
The filly was placed in the Listed Burgess Queen Stakes (1400m) on Melbourne Cup day last year, after winning her first two career starts earlier in the spring.
The daughter of Written Tycoon was then scratched at the barriers in both the Group 3 WA Champion Fillies Stakes and Group 2 WA Guineas after she refused to load.
Since coming back this campaign, she was placed behind Stageman on May 26, but was then unplaced as a $1.85 favourite last Wednesday.
However, Morton said a throat issue was to blame for her recent barrier manners and sub-par performances.
“She had a throat operation yesterday, so she will be out of action for a while,” he told TABradio’s The Sports Daily.
“There had to be something annoying her.
“We had her scoped on a number of occasions and hadn’t found anything.
“After last start, they were very thorough and it was definitely there, so she had a tie back operation.”
Morton said he expected Sophia’s Secret to return to the track at some stage.
Meanwhile, Morton will saddle up in form gelding Roganella in Saturday’s Listed Belmont Guineas (1600m).
Roganella stamped his credentials as one of the leading contenders for the $100,000 event with an impressive win in the Lavazza Plate (1400m) against a number of Guineas rivals on June 9.
Morton said he had been pleased with how the Rogano gelding had progressed since the last start win, and was primed for his assignment from barrier one on Saturday.
“He’s tracked on well since,” he said.
“He’s drawn a good marble, so all things being equal he should run a good race.
“He’s a high class horse, that’s for sure.
“It was always going to be a target race for him.”
Morton has booked Paul Harvey to ride Roganella, with Jarrad Noske having a break from riding.
The race lost some of its star attractions earlier in the week, when trainer David Harrison was forced to scratch WA Derby placegetter Media Baron, while Arcadia Prince was also a notable absentee following his below par run last start.
WA Champion Fillies Stakes winner Art Series has also been withdrawn from the event.
Fred Kersley’s filly Mizlecki will line up in the Guineas, following her brave third to Keeper’s Son over 1600m on June 9.
You can hear Morton’s full chat on TABradio below.
The Belmont Guineas is one of two Listed features at Belmont on Saturday, and jumps at 3.40pm.
Tim Walker