Mungrup Stud stallion Oratorio sired his sixth winner when Waratah’s Secret scored a very impressive victory in the Westspeed 3yo Hcp (1000m) at Belmont on Wednesday.

Waratah’s Secret (3g Oratorio – Blissfully by Zabeel) cleared out to score by six lengths on debut and trainer David Harrison will now map out a summer carnival campaign for the reformed rogue.

But it hasn’t always been plain sailing for connections.  After the win, Harrison revealed one of the best breakers in the business deserved all the kudos for getting Waratah’s Secret to the races.  “He’s a nice, big horse but has been hard work,” he said. “We had to spend plenty of cash until Joe Byrne finally got him right.”

Besides training his own share of winners, Byrne has great track record with unruly youngsters.  Waratah’s Secret frustrated four different breakers before Byrne stopping him bucking.

Harrison purchased the winner at the 2008 Perth Magic Millions Sale for $43,000 and he was always going to score first time out once Paul Harvey went for home in the straight.

Oratorio was a precocious son of Stravinsky winning the Tommy Smith Slipper (LR) at Doomben and the Adelaide Magic Millions at Morphettville before training on at three to claim the C S Hayes Stakes (G3) at Moonee Valley.

He got Waratah’s Secret from the Zabeel mare Blissfully who had only thrown two minor winners since retiring to stud in 1996.  Oratorio upgraded her pedigree with a live candidate for the three year-old features at Ascot.

Blissfully is a half-sister to Flemington stakes winner Perfect Evening (Imposing).  Their dam Bliss (Kaoru Star) is a half-sister to G1 winning racehorse and sire Blazing Saddles.

Oratorio’s six winners to date have all been in Perth but there could be an Eastern States addition now that Gold Rocks is based with David Brideoake at Mornington.  She was a G2 winner of the Karrakatta Plate at Ascot in April and was not disgraced in a very strong Quezette Stakes (LR) field at Caulfield last Saturday.

Racing first-up after an 18 week break, she was a drifter in betting and was always thereabouts when beaten four lengths by the Makybe fillies Corsaire and Headway.

Oratorio will stand for an $11,000 service fee at Mungrup Stud this year.