Royal Ascot runner-up wins Tipperary's feature

Royal Ascot runner-up Thesecretadversary (3/1) gained a first career success at Tipperary today, landing the featured Listed Coolmore Stud Churchill Stakes for trainer Fozzy Stack and jockey Seamie Heffernan.

Runner-up in three previous runs including in the Chesham Stakes in June and at odds of 2/13f at Ayr last month, Heffernan held the son of St Mark’s Basilica up behind the leaders in today’s race. Challenging on the outside, Thesecretadversary improved to lead inside the final furlong to score by a length from Brussels (10/11f).

Stack commented “his run at Ayr was a mess-up and while maybe the winner isn’t too bad, they went no gallop and the ground was soft. He had run well in Ascot and backed that up today. He did it well.

“It might be worth taking our chance in those big races now and there’s a Grade 1 (Summer Stakes on September 14) race for him in Canada on the same day as the National Stakes, which might be an option.

“The horse’s family has been lucky for me and thanks to the Rupert and Magnier families (joint-owners) for sending them all to me. My association goes back to Scream Blue Murder (a Group 3 winner) and I have an older full-sister to Thesecretadversary in training as well.”