Vera's Secret impresses on reappearance in Group 3 Vera’s Secret took her form to a new level with landing the Group 3 Al Shira’aa Racing ‘Mutamakina’Stakes on her seasonal debut at Leopardstown this afternoon. The lightly raced six-year-old mare won a handicap off a mark of 68 on her reappearance last season but has certainly progressed since and added a valuable handicap at Leopardstown on Irish Champions Weekend. The 11/2 chance made most under Seamie Heffernan and took command from well over a furlong to score by four lengths. Fiery Lucy took the runner-up spot, with Bella Isabella a neck back in third. Winning trainer Johnny Feane said, “She was good last year and hasn’t had a lot of racing. “She is a big strong six-year-old now, a quality filly and she proved it there today. “She goes well fresh and is a bit more relaxed this year so we kept it simple today. “Nathan Crosse was to ride her. He’s done a lot of work with her this year but he had to go to Germany today and Seamie was an able substitute today. “She’s entered in the Lanwades Stud Stakes (Group 2 at the Curragh on May 25) and later on in the year will probably come back here for the Matron Stakes but that is a long way off. She doesn’t take too much running. “She will come on for that run today. She is over 600 kilos and takes plenty of work at home. She’s a tough bit of stuff.”
