He has a huge amount of ability – he could be anything
- Trainer Rohan Hadley
Bridport trainer Rohan Hadley isn’t known for making rash statements about his horses but he makes no attempt to hide his enthusiasm for recent stable addition Secluded Beach.
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The normally conservative Hadley labelled Secluded Beach as potentially as good as any horse he has driven after they combined to win the Stuart Easey Stakes at Mowbray on Friday night.
“I’ve sat behind a few good ones and I’m sure this one is level with the very best of them,” he said.
“He has a huge amount of ability but doesn’t know he is a racehorse.
“If he could travel for a whole race like he does in 200m spurts, he could be anything.”
Hadley said that Secluded Beach’s former trainer Johnny Tapp also had “a big rap” on the horse who won five races in NSW.
The five-year-old has had two wins and a second from three starts in Tasmania.
After working to find the lead on Friday night, Secluded Beach was clearly headed in the home straight but fought back to score by just over 3m.
“I’m sure he’ll be better with something to chase,” Hadley said.
“If we ever get him to free-for-all level, and they go really solid, he’ll love it.
“But they are horses and they can let you down. Maybe the penny will drop one day and maybe it won’t.”
SAM TO RESCUE
Junior driver Samantha Gangell didn’t have any luck in the final round of the Youngbloods Challenge series at Mowbray on Friday night but showed her talent in one of the support races.
Gangell gave a copybook display to win the Going South Pace on $10.50 chance To The Rescue for trainer Kristy Grant.
From her inside second-row draw, Gangell trailed out the early leader Highview Starzzz but wisely grabbed an opportunity to get away from the pegs with 1-¼ laps to go.
That gave To The Rescue the one-one sit behind favourite Miracle Marcus who ran to the front at the 500m when the leader quickly compounded.
Gangell immediately gave chase and the two leaders drew right away, with To The Rescue prevailing narrowly in the run home.
After a fifth on Little Bit Of Big and second on Streetside Classic in the final two Youngbloods heats, Gangell tied for third overall behind Conor Crook and Hannah Van dongen.