AFTER a frustrating start to his career, Portland dog Reservoir Secret confirmed once and for all he knows how to find the line after a gutsy win in the Fifty 8 George Stake (450 metres) at Kennerson Park.
Coming off three wins in four starts, Tanya Nieuwendyk’s promising bitch Layout started a raging hot favourite at $1.60 and, at one stage, was as short as $1.10 a few minutes from race time.
After marginally getting the better of her at the start of the race, though, Reservoir Secret ($5.40) just did enough to hold off the favourite and claim his third win in 19 starts.
Incredibly, he began his career with seven straight second-place finishes, but has now won three of his next 12 to go with five thirds.
He showed plenty of determination in hanging on.
“I probably thought down the back straight, when the favourite got to within a length or so, that she would go on and win, but my boy did well,” trainer Peter Barnes said.
“He can only just get the 450m, so to hold off the others like he did was a good effort.
“He had seven seconds to start his career, but he is starting to string a few together now, which is good to see.”
The time was a handy 26.39 seconds.
Email a friend