Leading filly In Secret was supreme for Godolphin in the three-year-old’s feature on Derby Day dominating the 2022 Coolmore Stud Stakes results thanks to another powerhouse ride by James McDonald.

In Secret was very dominant down the Flemington straight saluting for the punters in the 2022 Coolmore Stud Stakes. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

The country’s premiere hoop went back-to-back in the Group 1 $2 million Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) having ridden Home Affairs to victory in 2021 and returning this year to fly home on the favourite In Secret – his 73^rd Group 1 winning ride.

For the second year in a row, McDonald enjoyed four Derby Day wins having won four of the five opening races in 2022 with plenty still to come.

The James Cummings-trained daughter of I Am Invincible atoned for her second behind Jacquinot in the Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) in Sydney, relishing the step back to 1200m.

A genuine six-furlong filly, In Secret was outstanding down the iconic Flemington straight six where she trialled terrifically for McDonald on Friday.

“She was ready to launch on the Friday when she trialled up the straight,” McDonald told Racing.com after the win.

“She loved the straight.”

There was pre-race drama in the barriers with Economics coming out and vetted before being passed fit to run, with the young sprinters in the gates for some time.

In Secret got slightly fractious and reared at the jump before rebalancing and getting into a gun position the early stages.

“We were in there (the barriers) a long time,” McDonald said.

“She was on song. She was ready to go and she just jumped in the air.

“I knew my job, I had to muster to get a spot pretty quickly.

“As it turned out, she won by a margin.

“She’s a good filly.”

In Secret ($3.10F) got the perfect run in transit sitting mid-pack with plenty of space in a fanned-out race, and once she got into the clear there was no stopping her.

She had some two lengths to spare on the line over Grahame Begg’s Zoustar filly C’est Magique who was excellent running second at 40/1.

The Matthew Smith-trained Supido colt, Buenos Noches ($9), continued his good spring form after a Group 2 Danehill Stakes second to subsequent The Everest winner Giga Kick to run third after settling last and getting caught back.

A $900,000 purchase for the operation, In Secret was set for the Coolmore and didn’t disappoint becoming the sixth filly since the race gained Group 1 status in 2006 to beat home the boys.

“She’s a much stronger filly than she gets credit for,” Cummings conceded.

“I feel she’s one of the best horses we’ve got on the farm.

“She’s just a weapon. She put them away, drawing clear on the line. You don’t often see that in a set weights three-year-old race in the Coolmore.

“That’s a big achievement for our team to win it. We came so close with Bivouac a few years ago.”

In Secret is a chance to return to the track and distance next Saturday for the Group 1 $3 million Champions Sprint (1200m) and pays $9 in pre-field betting at Ladbrokes.com.au to win – markets available in full here.

2022 Coolmore Stud Stakes Results & Finishing Order

Table Credit: Racing Australia.