Sacred Capital (NZ) Too Strong in Chairman Memorial Cup

Karaka graduate Sacred Capital (NZ) (O’Reilly) marked the anniversary of his Macau Derby (1800m) heroics with another stellar performance at the same meeting.

Bought for $580,000 at the 2016 Ready to Run Sale, the quality gelding dominated Sunday’s M$800,000 Chairman Memorial Cup (1200m) to lift his career earnings past M$4 million – the equivalent of more than NZ$800,000.

Ridden by Peter Ho, Sacred Capital recovered from a slow start to find a midfield position in Sunday’s sprint feature.

Then he unleashed a ferocious finish in the straight, powering past the leader in the last 150 metres. He scored an emphatic victory by a length and a quarter, stopping the clock at a quick 1:08.3.

Trained by Joe Lau for owners Chen Ching Lung and Dato Yap Kim San, Sacred Capital has won nine of his 22 starts.

His other feature victories include the Macau Spring Trophy (1500m) and Gold Cup (1800m), while he ventured to Hong Kong earlier this year and placed in the Group 3 January Cup (1800m). He began his career in Australia, where he finished fourth in the Listed Poseidon Stakes (1400m) at Flemington.

This year’s Ready to Run Sale will be held at Karaka on November 18 and 19.