Secret Blaze has passed an important ballot clause for the Caulfield Cup with his victory at The Valley on Friday night.

The win of the Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained galloper in the Group 3 JRA Cup (2040m) has given the training partners some food for thought in coming days.

Friday night’s victory was Secret Blaze’s first since scoring over 2500m at Flemington in December 2019.

After three more runs, culminating in the Easter Cup at Caulfield the following April, Secret Blaze suffered a tendon injury which required the gelding being put through McEvoy’s rehabilitation program.

Following two runs at 1200m and another over 1400m, the McEvoy’s had Secret Blaze perfectly primed for Friday night’s contest.

Given the run of the race in third spot on the fence by Craig Williams, Secret Blaze ($5.50) scored a three-quarter length win from Homesman ($4) with Rostropovich ($31) a half-length away third.

Tony McEvoy said he was so pleased to see Secret Blaze make it back to the track and winning races again after the tendon injury.

“He’s such a great gentleman to deal with and he’s been a great patient all the way through,” McEvoy said.

“It was lovely to see him get back at this level.”

Secret Blaze has only 50kg in the 2021 Caulfield Cup and McEvoy said if the gelding does not make it to the Group 1 race on October 16 there was a stack of other races that may suit the gelding.

“We can now go to the Coongy Cup or the Herbert Power Stakes or maybe even to that big dance (Caulfield Cup),” McEvoy said.

“It is lovely to get him back in form and we’ll regroup and decide in a few days.

“He’s sound as a bell. It’s fabulous.”