King's Secret shows promise for Premiere Stakes

Joe Pride's initial spring strategy for King's Secret involved steering clear of Sydney's elite sprinters, but the gelding's two recent performances have prompted a change of direction.

The five-year-old made a significant late surge when fourth to Tempted in the Concorde Stakes (1000m). He followed this with another strong effort, finishing a narrow third behind Mazu and Joliestar in The Shorts (1100m).

These impressive showings have earned him a start in Saturday's Group 2 Premiere Stakes (1200m), and Pride is optimistic about his chances.

"The idea was to take him to Melbourne when I started the 'prep' thinking we might need to get out of Sydney because they'd be too good for him," stated Pride.

"The two runs have given me a little bit of confidence they're not too good for him, and he's made a pretty big leap from where he was last preparation.

"After the two runs, you'd say he's among that top group of sprinters now."

Following this weekend's race, the Sydney Stakes (1200m), which is part of the Everest program, is the anticipated next race for King's Secret.

Possessing a similar physique to his accomplished half-brother, Private Eye, the gelding shares a strong resemblance, apart from one key difference.

"Those little (Matryoshka) dolls that are exactly the same and fit inside one another – he's like the littlest one and Private Eye is the biggest one," Pride explained.

"There's about five sizes in between, but they're identical."

King's Secret is one of three runners representing the stable in the Premiere Stakes, alongside the in-form Mazu and Weeping Woman.

Pride acknowledges that Weeping Woman did not perform to expectations in the Sheraco Stakes (1200m) first-up. However, he is confident she can improve significantly if the track conditions are wet, contrary to her $41 odds.

"I can only take out of the run that she didn't like the firm track," he commented.

"If it's a bit of a wet track, she will be there and can bounce back."

Godolphin's mare Tempted is the overwhelming favourite in the Premiere Stakes betting at $1.55 and is the only runner in the field of 15 with odds in single figures.

King's Secret and Mazu are both considered $26 outsiders.

Betting on the Premiere Stakes is heating up, with many punters looking to online bookmakers for competitive racing odds.