Standing out from the countless bays, chestnuts, brown and occasional grey racehorses at Windsor Racecourse on Friday (17 January) was this very distinctive equine blonde bombshell.
The Hughie Morrison-trained Secret Squirrel grabs the attention as soon as he arrives at the racecourse with his eye-catching flaxen mane and tail. Such an unusual colouring is a rare commodity in the racing world where the purity of the thoroughbred genes is strictly maintained, meaning any out-of-the-ordinary equines tend to cause quite a stir.
Secret Squirrel: he’s a winning racehorse as well as boasting those silky locks
But this six-year-old chestnut gelding, who is owned and was bred by the trainer’s wife Mary Morrison, isn’t just a beautiful looking horse as he’s proving very successful on the track, too.
Ridden by Nico de Boinville at Windsor last Friday, he cruised to victory in the valuable Fitzdares Sovereign Handicap Hurdle, his fifth career success.
“He’s a hardy horse and he just kept going,” said the jockey after the race. “He’s got his own mind and it’s just a case of working with him rather than against him. I thought he jumped great and I’m very lucky to come in for the ride.”
“Tough since the day he was born – he’d knock you over as a foal”
It was another proud moment for connections, with the trainer explaining that Secret Squirrel was a bossy foal – they even backed him slightly early because he was such a handful in his youth.
“He’s been tough from the day he was born, he’d walk up to you and knock you over,” said the trainer of the eye-catching gelding. “But all congratulations to the breeder and owner, it’s nothing to do with me!”
Ascot Gold Cup-winning stallion Double Trigger with John Haydon in 2011.
Mary bred the Stimulation-sired Secret Squirrel out of the three-times raced mare Trigger Point, who, like her Ascot Gold Cup-winning sire Double Trigger, also boasts a flaxen mare and tail while Secret Squirrel’s great-grandfather is the distinctive light chestnut Derby winner Generous.
Unlike Double Trigger, whose near-blonde mane was usually plaited on the racecourse, Secret Squirrel is raced unplaited and connections have even let his silky locks grow slightly longer than normal so we can all appreciate his elevated hair game to full effect – it really wouldn’t look out of place in a shampoo commercial. He is a true stunner and we fully expected him to flick his mane to the photographers as he swaggered into the winner’s enclosure.
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes, Ascot, winner Generous, with Alan Munro riding.
What is a flaxen mane and tail?
Horses with flaxen manes and tails come in various shades of chestnut colouring but remain distinct from palomino horses. Flaxen is believed to be polygenic, which means it is influenced by multiple genes and can result in various strengths of the flaxen traits in offspring, although other studies have indicated that the flaxen trait is inherited as a recessive gene.
But the flaxen trait is certainly strong in racehorse Secret Squirrel’s family. Giving the gelding a run for his money when it comes to silky golden locks is his full-brother Secret Sniper, a four-year-old who has been placed in two bumper races so far, and who has the same near-blonde coloured mane and tail.
Winning racehorse Secret Squirrel in action.
So look out for this pair of bombshells at a racecourse near you – Secret Squirrel is entered for the William Hill Newbury Handicap Hurdle at Newbury next Saturday (8 February), where he will hope to build on his hurdle wins at Windsor, Taunton and Kempton.
Yes, this just-stepped-out-of-the-salon racehorse has well and truly captured our hearts.
*Update: 27 February* Following a fall at the final flight of hurdles at William Hill Newbury Handicap Hurdle at Newbury on 8 February, Secret Squirrel has been diagnosed with a fractured to the lumber vertebrae in his back. He is described as “comfortable” although he will require a long period of box rest while he recovers.
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