It showed on Saturday. On a day when winners in the first seven races were coming from the first two around the home bend, Secret Spirit broke the mould in coming from second last with the gamest possible finishing effort.
"You know," said a delighted Lance O'Sullivan, "you can hardly get a brush on her at home. She'll kick your eyes out."
When you start thinking about maggot behaviour in mares you immediately think of Sunline.
Few mares could kick your eyes out quicker than Sunline, but then $13 million in stake earning allows you lots of latitude.
Secret Spirit has had what for normal horses would be described as a reasonably tough campaign, winning four stakes races straight, but they have been reasonably well spaced and she will definitely be set towards the big one, the 1000 Guineas at Riccarton on November 14.
"This last back-up has been her quickest and she's coped with it all the way through."
Craig Grylls was never happy in running. "When we were second last at the 600m I thought we were no hope, but she moved herself into the race and kept going."
"Even at the 250m I wasn't sure she could get up, but she just kept trying. She's real gutsy."
Never let it be said Danny Walker can't come up with a story when he wins a race.
He won two of them at Ellerslie on Saturday - the first two races - and he was on fire.
The best line was when asked about Twilight Dragon's remarkable Ellerslie course record.
"I swear that when he comes over the speed bumps on Wimpole St [bordering the track] he knows where he is and he acts up. He can be a real shit in the float, but when he gets to Wimpole St he starts galloping in the truck."
Shades of Mr Ed, but the Ellerslie stats help support the story - 11 starts on the track for seven wins and only one win on another track from nine races.
Walker had a tale of woe after Bolshoi Ballet won the opening event by 7 lengths under Sam Spratt. That win should have been back in July at Avondale, according to his trainer.
"At the last set of lights before we reached the track we stopped at a red light and he shied at something, kicking out in the float. We had to scratch him.
"I'd backed him from $8 into $2 in that race and he'd have won."
It's easy to believe that judging by the way Bolshoi Ballet thrashed Saturday's opposition. Sam Spratt has had a big opinion of the 3-year-old and Walker believes it's well justified. "He's a very smart young horse."
