A Sacred Start in the Karaka Million
11 January 2016
Promising youngster Sacred Elixir (NZ) (Pour Moi) booked his place in the $1m Karaka Million with victory in the $20,000 Countdown to Karaka Million 1200m on Saturday at Ellerslie.
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Sacred Elixir on the outer getting the better of |
Saturday’s earnings of $12,000 will be enough to secure Sacred Elixir a start in the Karaka Million, New Zealand’s richest race, placing him ninth on the Order of Entry. Still at the top of the Order of Entry is Manolo Blahniq (NZ) (Jimmy Choux), the current favourite for the race.
Trained by Tony Pike, Sacred Elixir was narrowly beaten on debut two weeks ago at Ellerslie. The son of Pour Moi settled in the trail before peeling out inside the last 200m to challenge the leader, The Soultaker (NZ) (Iffaaj). The pair battled out the race with Sacred Elixir getting the upper hand late in the race to win by a nose.
“He was a nice yearling but doesn’t look like a two-year-old, he’s a big boy”, commented Pike. “I thought we got out-bobbed again.”
Sacred Elixir was purchased by Raffles Racing and Guy Mulcaster for $170,000 at the 2015 Karaka Premier Sale from Wentwood Grange.
Bred by Graham De Gruchy, Sacred Elixir is the first out of Baltika (Stravinsky), a granddaughter of champion mare Horlicks (Three Legs). Horlicks won 17 races, six at Group 1 level including the Group 1 Japan Cup in world record time. She was owned by De Gruchy.
Sacred Elixir is the second New Zealand winner for his sire Pour Moi who shuttled to Windsor Park Stud. Pour Moi has 36 yearlings catalogued at the National Yearling Sales Series.
New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sales Series will take place from 25 January – 31 January at Karaka. The catalogues can be viewed online or can be requested from reception@nzb.co.nz.