'It demonstrates the highs and lows of breeding' - Oakgrove Stud savouring Secret Of Life's unbeaten run

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Oakgrove Stud's journey with decorated race filly and smart broodmare Be My Gal has been anything but straightforward. Happily, her story is continuing through her daughters, most notably this month's Coral Distaff winner Secret Of Life.

The Ralph Beckett-trained Secret Of Life made a winning debut last August, pulling two and a quarter lengths clear of her rivals in a Wolverhampton maiden. She returned in May to record another clearcut win, this time at Haydock. There, she was just pushed out to account for the opposition by three and a quarter lengths and up.

A Listed win at Sandown last weekend, when she justified favouritism to remain unbeaten, underlined the promise of a three-year-old who continues to make physical progress.

David Hilton, manager of the Deer family’s farm in Chepstow, said: "She's a filly who from the middle of last summer had quite positive reports from the trainer. She's very big, standing around 16.2 to 16.3 hands, so to go and win in August was great. 

"We thought about running her in a stakes race, but then she had a little niggle, so we had her back home. She trained okay in the spring but just took time to come to herself, which is why she didn't run until the second half of May."

Secret Of Life has come a long way, her Sandown victory being another big step up from her previous wins. Despite slight reservations over the quick ground, the filly coped with conditions admirably, as she did the whole occasion of Coral-Eclipse day. 

Hilton said: "Ralph thought she still had improvement coat-wise. We didn't want to run her on very fast ground, but you have to go where the races are. Ralph was very keen to run at Sandown, saying she was in very good form.

David Hilton: "When her price started to tumble it gave me a fair bit of confidence"Credit: Zuzanna Lupa

"When her price started to tumble, it gave me a fair bit of confidence, while the filly has an amazing temperament. She went from two quiet midweek races to turning up on Eclipse day with a carnival atmosphere, but wandered around like she owned the place."

Secret Of Life proved to be as professional in the race as she was in the parade ring, making all and pulling two and three-quarter lengths clear of her nearest rival under Rossa Ryan. 

Among those behind her was Oaks winner Anapurna's daughter Sacred Ground, and Act Of Kindness, Godolphin's half-sister to Fillies' Mile winner Ylang Ylang who was a 3,700,000gns Tattersalls Book 1 purchase.

Hilton said: "Rossa said there was no real pace, so he'd jump forward and see what happened. I'm not saying we expected to win, but we thought she would run very nicely. 

"I think probably trainer and jockey had more confidence, whereas we were just hopeful. I think Rossa's the perfect jockey for her because he does that lovely Ryan Moore-esque thing of getting them rolling without going for them.

"She doesn't have push-button acceleration yet, which is what Rossa said. She's still green but her stride was just lengthening all the time. We had [Celebration Mile runner-up] Saqqara Sands last year as well, so to have Secret Of Life on the back of her with Ralph is really exciting. He's got an excellent team and they've done a fantastic job with her."

There could be even better to come from the daughter of Pinatubo once she has filled her frame and runs on easier going. She would also suit a step up in trip when the time arrives, especially considering her dam won the Prix de Psyche at Deauville over a mile and a quarter.

"She went a long way back around and down the hill at Sandown before Rossa could pull her up," said Hilton. "I think her demeanour in a race, how relaxed she is, would suggest she'll be fine going up in trip. 

"She'll be better on good ground or slightly on the slow side. It's all very exciting and anything else that happens now is a bonus really."

Colourful Dream: Secret Of Life's Dubawi half-sister after her sale to Godolphin at Book 1 in 2020Credit: ©Tattersalls

Secret Of Life is a particularly precious commodity as her dam has sadly had problems with foaling. Be My Gal, like her own dam Longing To Dance, was bred by John Deer and has produced another winner in Colourful Dream, a daughter of Dubawi who won a Southwell novice contest for Charlie Appleby by seven lengths as a three-year-old.

"Sadly, Be My Gal's been a difficult breeder,” said Hilton. “She had a very difficult first foaling, so she can't really have foals every year. She had a Dubawi filly we bred in partnership with Godolphin, and they bought her from us [520,000gns from Tattersalls Book 1 in 2020]. We then bought her back as a three-year-old; she was talented and has now joined the broodmare band. 

"Be My Gal has a two-year-old Palace Pier filly called Haldon Pier. She doesn't look like Secret Of Life, but is doing very well at Ralph's. The mare hasn't been in foal since, including this year, so there's no yearling, foal or pregnancy, but we'll keep going. It might be she goes in foal again at some point, but it just demonstrates the highs and lows of breeding.

"It highlights the difficult nature of it and how tricky it can be to even get to the races, let alone win or become a stakes winner or performer. You have to really enjoy these days because when it happens, you think it'll come again quickly and quite often it doesn't."

He added: "This result is a testament to the patience and investment that the Deer family put into it. The whole team works well and it's a big team effort; every horse, regardless of their ability, is produced beautifully. 

"The vets do an excellent job, as do the farriers, and then the team at Ralph's. We've had only three runners with him, it's a very new relationship, but we're enjoying it. Of those three runners, we've had Saqqara Sands and Secret Of Life, so it's going well."

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