Artie Schiller mare Secret Liaison earned her second stakes success when she outslugged her opposition in the Listed Lord Stakes (1612m) at Mornington.

Secret Liaison went more than 12 months without a win after her Listed Twilight Glow Stakes victory during her three-year-old season but has raced in great heart since returning to the winner’s list at Moonee Valley on November 24.

The four-year-old carried her good form to Caulfield before finishing second at Flemington to earn a shot at another stakes victory.

Co-trainers Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra booked Group 1-winning rider Ben Melham to partner Secret Liaison at Mornington. Melham subsequently gave his mount a textbook ride to claim the $120,000 event.

Melham parked Secret Liaison just off the speed in fifth spot, about four lengths from the lead, where the mare travelled sweetly until the jockey asked her to improve from the 600 metres.

Secret Liaison worked into the race from the 600 metres before digging deep over the final furlong to score by a half-neck to post her third win from her past four starts.

“Just getting her confidence back at Moonee Valley helped her and confidence is a wonderful thing,” Zahra said. “She has held her condition really well.

“She normally gets back a bit but these last couple of runs, she has raced a bit closer and just towed into the race like she did again today.”

Secret Liaison is one of a multitude of stakes winners Ellerton Zahra Racing has prepared for long-time stable supporter, Contract Racing’s David Moodie.

“David is a breeder and that is what you have got to target when planning her preparations and Mathew should take a lot of the credit for finding the right race for her,” Zahra said.

The win was Secret Liaison’s fifth from 22 starts and the $72,000 winner’s cheque took her prizemoney tally to more than $338,000.

Click here to see a replay of Secret Liaison’s Lord Stakes success.

A famous Victorian property will return to its original name when Emirates Park Stud and Independent Stallions unite to run Stockwell Stud at Diggers Rest.

The late Ken Cox founded Stockwell Stud in the late 1950s. Cox imported Showdown (Infatuation – Zanzara, by Fairey Fulmar) to Australia and also stood the likes of Arctic Explorer  (Arctic Prince – Flirting, by Big Game) – the sire of champion Tobin Bronze (Arctic Explorer – Amarco, by Masthead), Water Mill (Mill Reef – Heavenly Thought, by St Paddy), Comeram (Amber Rama – Comely, by Boran) as well as the Cox Plate winner Our Poetic Prince (Yeats – Finisterre, by Biscay).

The property became known as Emirates Park when Nasser Lootah bought the stud in the mid-1990s.

Emirates Park has decided to return Stockwell Stud to its original name for its joint venture with Independent Stallions, who operate out of Nagambie in central Victoria.

Independent Stallions stood emerging stallion Artie Schiller before Emirates Park secured a controlling interest in the US-bred sire, who is the leading second crop stallion in Australia this season.

“We have seen too many good stallions cut their teeth in Victoria, only to be lost once their commercial appeal has risen,” Becker said in a statement.

“It was important that Artie Schiller did not follow that path and I am thankful that Trevor Lobb and Emirates Park have recognised and supported Victoria in making sure Artie Schiller stays here.

“It is a bit of a homecoming for me as I moved to Victoria to manage Stockwell Stud in 1989 and spent four years there before launching Independent Stallions.”

Al  Samer and Old Deuteronomy will also stand at the new partnership’s facility, which is located an hour north-west of Melbourne.