Sacred Elixir (NZ) Shines at Moonee Valley

High-class Karaka graduate Sacred Elixir (NZ) (Pour Moi) picked up his third Australian stakes success with a superb performance in Saturday’s A$200,000 Group 2 LUCRF Super Vase (2040m) at Moonee Valley. In the process he earned favouritism for next Saturday’s Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m).

Previously the winner of the Group 1 JJ Atkins Stakes (1600m) in Brisbane and the Group 3 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m) in Melbourne, Sacred Elixir’s sparkling form was dented with an eighth-place finish in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) after little went right in the run.

But on Saturday he emphatically redeemed himself and boosted his stakes earnings past $700,000 – four times his purchase price.

Ridden by Damian Lane, Sacred Elixir unleashed a formidable finish down the short Moonee Valley straight to dash past the leaders and win by half a length.

“Very impressive,” Lane said. “He switched off beautifully without the blinkers and sprinted very hard at the end. As soon as I got an inch of room, he just burst his way through.”

Sacred Elixir is now the favourite for next Saturday’s Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington.

“It's great to see him win like that” Kiwi trainer Tony Pike said. “That was a good strong win. I was a little bit worried he might get pushed down towards the worst part of the track around the turn, but Damian did a great job.

“He was strong late here and he should relish the 2500 (metres) next week. He's had a relatively soft run today, which is good on a seven-day back-up. He's had a good hit-out and it's onwards and upwards to next week.”

Sacred Elixir was bred by Graham de Gruchy, who bred and raced the legendary racemare Horlicks (NZ) (Three Legs). The Japan Cup-winning mare features in Sacred Elixir’s pedigree as the granddam of his dam Baltika (NZ) (Stravinsky).

Offered by Wentwood Grange at the 2015 Premier Sale, Sacred Elixir was purchased by owners Raffles Racing and Mulcaster Bloodstock for $170,000.