Waratah’s Secret will be set for feature sprints at the Ascot summer season after his commanding first-up victory at Belmont Park on Saturday.

Waratah’s Secret (4g Oratorio – Blissfully by Zabeel) recorded an effortless victory in the www.perthracing.com.au Handicap (1200m) stopping the clock at 1.09.84s.  “The Colonel Reeves Stakes is a likely target,” trainer David Harrison said. “It’s a handicap and he would carry the minimum compared to the Winterbottom Stakes at weight for age against sprinters like Hay List.”

The son of Mungrup Stud sire Oratorio (Aus) scored a stunning six length victory on debut this time last year and he was just as impressive when winning with a leg in the air second-up.  

Harrison stepped him up to black-type racing and the gelding responded with Listed victories in the Belgravia Stakes and Fairetha Stakes at Ascot last October.  The winning streak came a cropper the following month in the G2 Winterbottom Stakes.  He finished midfield behind Ortensia and was tipped out until the Belmont winter season.

Returning in May, Waratah’s Secret started a short-priced favourite in three starts that month, however, he found one better every time.  

Paul Harvey took over when he raced first-up last Saturday.  Perth’s premier jockey allowed him to run with a full head of steam and the chasers couldn’t make any inroads in the straight.  Stablemate Copper Reign was three lengths away in second spot.

Waratah’s Secret was a $43,000 buy for Harrison at the 2008 Perth Magic Millions yearling sale.  He is from a half-sister to Flemington stakes winner Perfect Evening (Imposing).  Second dam Bliss (Kaoru Star) is a half-sister to G1 winning racehorse and sire Blazing Saddles.

His sire 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.

Oratorio has sired 28 individual winners of 60 races in his first two crops.  He stands for a $33,000 service fee which is easily a record for a sire based in Western Australia.