Schweida banks on Larry for Secret Harmony

Friday 17 January 2014, 12:25pm

Trainer Kelly Schweida has resisted the temptation to use a claiming apprentice on boom galloper Secret Harmony at Doomben on Saturday.

Secret Harmony, who scored a barnstorming win first up at Eagle Farm on New Year's Day, is topweight with 59kgs in the Mittys Handicap (1200m).

Schweida said Secret Harmony had been done no favours for Saturday's race but the three-year-old had to run.

"Not many horses win with 59kgs and he has barrier 11 to boot. But it has been three weeks since his first-up run," Schweida said.

Ric McMahon was Secret Harmony's jockey in the first-up win and has ridden the son of Group One winner Hotel Grand in seven of his eight starts but he is suspended.

Schweida has gone with vastly experienced jockey Larry Cassidy as the replacement rather than an apprentice to get some weight relief.

"Secret Harmony really isn't an apprentices' horse and he is going to be two or three deep hopefully with cover," he said.

"Larry is riding well and should suit the horse."

Secret Harmony was a standout in the late 2012-2013 and early 2013-14 seasons before a spell.

He showed his class with a dominant victory over 1500 metres at Eagle Farm last July before running second a couple of times at Doomben over 1600 metres.

Schweida has always maintained Secret Harmony will make a 2400-metre feature race horse.

Secret Harmony, who is related to the 2003 VRC Oaks winner Special Harmony, will be set for feature staying races in the winter but needs to boost his prizemoney with some summer wins.

Schweida's charge has racked up nearly $110,000 in prizemoney with two wins and has been a runner-up on three occasions.

"We were chasing the QTIS bonus money with him last campaign but this time we will give him his chance over some ground," Schweida said.

Secret Harmony is the $4.40 favourite on TAB Sportsbet Fixed Odds with several runners next in line at $9 including the Jason McLachlan-trained Jet Down On It.

The Jet Spur gelding was disappointing when unplaced last time out at the Gold Coast on January 4 but impressed two starts back with a win over 1200 metres at the Sunshine Coast after being narrowly beaten at Doomben in early December.

– AAP

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