Mark Oulaghan
Trish Dunell
Promising filly Shared Secrets will head to Otaki on Saturday ahead of a Group One challenge.
The lightly-raced Awapuni filly has yet to win, but she has already performed well in strong company and trainer and part-owner Mark Oulaghan is keen on a start in next month's Gr.1 Wellfield New Zealand Oaks.
"She'll either run in the maiden mile or in the three and four-year-old race (the St Leger Trial) over 2100 metres," he said.
"As long as she gets through Otaki alright we'll press on to the Oaks."
A daughter of Nadeem, Shared Secrets was unplaced in her spring debut before she returned in December to finish third, after a rocky run, in an age group event at Trentham behind the Group Two winner Leading Role.
At her most recent appearance, she rounded off strongly to run third behind Nicoletta in the Gr.3 Desert Gold Stakes.
"She's a really nice filly and she's showed she can gallop," he said. "Her last couple of starts have been very good."
Shared Secrets was bred by Oulaghan and he believes she will have no trouble mastering the 2400 metre trip of the Oaks.
"Nadeem is by Redoute's Choice and they can stay a bit and on her mother's side she's from a staying line," he said.
Meanwhile, Shared Secrets' talented stablemate Shadows Cast in on the easy list after an injury hiccup.
"He had a crook foot and we had to late scratch him from Woodville the other day, but he's right and we'll find a race for him soon," Oulaghan said.
The winner of four races and runner-up in last season's Gr.3 Wellington Stakes, Shadows Cast was most recently third in the Douro Cup at Trentham. – NZ Racing Desk.
The lightly-raced Awapuni filly has yet to win, but she has already performed well in strong company and trainer and part-owner Mark Oulaghan is keen on a start in next month's Gr.1 Wellfield New Zealand Oaks.
"She'll either run in the maiden mile or in the three and four-year-old race (the St Leger Trial) over 2100 metres," he said.
"As long as she gets through Otaki alright we'll press on to the Oaks."
A daughter of Nadeem, Shared Secrets was unplaced in her spring debut before she returned in December to finish third, after a rocky run, in an age group event at Trentham behind the Group Two winner Leading Role.
At her most recent appearance, she rounded off strongly to run third behind Nicoletta in the Gr.3 Desert Gold Stakes.
"She's a really nice filly and she's showed she can gallop," he said. "Her last couple of starts have been very good."
Shared Secrets was bred by Oulaghan and he believes she will have no trouble mastering the 2400 metre trip of the Oaks.
"Nadeem is by Redoute's Choice and they can stay a bit and on her mother's side she's from a staying line," he said.
Meanwhile, Shared Secrets' talented stablemate Shadows Cast in on the easy list after an injury hiccup.
"He had a crook foot and we had to late scratch him from Woodville the other day, but he's right and we'll find a race for him soon," Oulaghan said.
The winner of four races and runner-up in last season's Gr.3 Wellington Stakes, Shadows Cast was most recently third in the Douro Cup at Trentham. – NZ Racing Desk.