Sacred Falls (NZ) Firms for 2000 Guineas

The unbeaten three-year-old Sacred Falls (NZ) produced a stunning performance in the $85,000 Group 2 DHL Global Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) on Saturday that has clearly labelled him as the horse to beat in the Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas.

Missing the start and a clear four to five lengths last after leaving the gates, jockey Leith Innes wasted no time in getting Sacred Falls (O’Reilly x Iguazu's Girl) into the race and the pair settled mid-field with 1200 metres to run.

Third last on the home corner, Sacred Falls was forced to race five wide coming into the straight and after working his way to the front, he exploded away in the final 100 metres, leaving the field standing and striding away to a brilliant one-and-a-quarter length win.

 “It was a pretty spectacular win,” said trainer Tony Pike. “To miss the start by that margin and to win that easily really shows how talented he is.

“We were very confident coming into the race as we knew we had a good horse but I think after that effort, having to sprint three times and racing away like he did in the last 100 metres, he could be even better than we thought.

“He has come through the race well and all going to plan we will take him to the James & Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes before taking him to Riccarton for the 2000 Guineas.”

Sacred Falls won the Listed Westbury Stud Challenge Stakes at his last start and is now unbeaten in four races for his trainers Tony Pike & Mark Donoghue.

Sacred Falls was the $7 favourite for the Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas after his win in the Listed Westbury Stud Challenge Stakes and has now come into $2.60 for his main spring target.

Bred and offered by Waikato Stud, Sacred Falls was purchased by Mulcaster Bloodstock from New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2011 Karaka Premier Sale for $160,000. He is now raced by Dato Yap and Bruce Sherwin’s Raffles Dancers (NZ) Ltd. Saturday’s win has taken Sacred Falls’ stakes earnings to just shy of $100,000.

O’Reilly’s progeny have made a solid start to the new season with Sacred Falls and Mosse both unbeaten, the latter in three starts, and his Derby winning daughter Silent Achiever making a promising return last Friday at Te Rapa.