Group 1 Hobart Thousand winner Aussie Secret has been retired.

Trained at Pearcedale by Jason Thompson, Aussie Secret dropped a back muscle – when leading and appearing the winner – in a G2 Warragul Cup heat last Friday night.

Aussie Secret departs the racing scene with 33 wins, 10 seconds and seven thirds from 65 starts with $271,336 in prizemoney.

“He was very honest, a really good chaser,” a disappointed Thompson said. “From his very first race, he averaged two runs a month. So, he stood up to quite a bit of racing.”

“He wasn’t a ‘headline act’, but he raced at the highest level for the majority of his career.”

Thompson added that Aussie Secret (Oct ’18 Bernardo x Sunset Believer) – raced by Tinamba breeder-owner Robert Bean – was extremely versatile.

Aussie Secret also won the inaugural Pink Diamond Short Course at Bendigo and Listed Western Districts Derby at Geelong and was a finalist in the G1 Melbourne Cup, G1 Silver Chief, G2 Ballarat Cup and G2 Horsham Cup.

“He wasn’t a ‘headline act’, but he raced at the highest level for the majority of his career,” Thompson said.

“He was a good, honest race dog… He reminded me a lot of Aston Bolero, a good speed dog.”

AUSSIE SECRET

RECORD: 65 starts: 33-10-7

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: 
Winner – G1 Hobart Thousand; Listed Western Districts Derby; Pink Diamond Champion Short Course
Finalist – G1 Melbourne Cup; G1 Silver Chief; G2 Ballarat Cup; G2 Horsham Cup

STAKES: $271,336

Thompson added that Aussie Secret wasn’t just a “ripper dog” on the racetrack.

“He has an absolutely beautiful temperament and is highly intelligent. He could just as easily be sitting inside watching TV with you.

“He doesn’t do anything silly. And whether you were at the track or at home, you wouldn’t know he was there.”

Aussie Secret (1) wins the G1 Hobart Thousand over fellow Victorians Do It (6) and Ferdinand Boy (8).

WATCH: Aussie Secret (1) takes out the inaugural $75,000 to-the-winner Pink Diamond Short Course (425m) at Bendigo on June 18 last year.