Tragic News from Milburn Creek – Vale, Secret Admirer

Tara Madgwick - Tuesday Sep 9

Spring brings so many foaling stories from our studs each year and while the majority have a happy ending, sometimes things sadly don’t go as planned.

Milburn Creek Farm announced sad news yesterday with the loss of their much loved dual Group I winning mare Secret Admirer at age 18.

The super talented daughter of Dubawi carried the colours of John and Trish Muir to victory in the 2010 Group I ATC Flight Stakes and then the 2011 ATC Epsom Handicap, her highlight wins in a brilliant career that netted $1.4million in prizemoney.

Secret Admirer won the 2011 Epsom Handicap in dazzling style - image Bradley Photography

Trained throughout her career by Grahame Begg, she retired to Milburn Creek Stud in 2013 and has been a fine producer for the farm leaving Group III winner Danawi and Group I placed colt Townsend among her six named foals.

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She produced a filly last spring by Dundeel before visiting Darley young gun Native Trail (GB), but sadly died post foaling a filly that also did not survive.

Aside from the yearling filly by Dundeel, Milburn Creek have another daughter to continue the legacy of Secret Admirer having also kept unraced three year-old filly Autumn Secret (The Autumn Sun), who has been given to Graham Begg to train.

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