Another Exciting 3YO for Raffles Racing

Raffles Racing has another top-line three-year-old this season in the form of Sacred Park (NZ) (Thorn Park) who was victorious in the Group 2 Buffalo Man Wellington Guineas (1500m) on Saturday at Trentham.

Sacred Park (NZ) winning the Group 2 Buffalo Man Wellington Guineas on Saturday at Trentham.

The three-year-old colt carries the same Raffles Racing colours of former stablemate Sacred Falls, last year’s Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas winner and the Group 1 Doncaster Handicap winner earlier this year.

The Tony Pike/Mark Donoghue trained Sacred Park was a last start Listed winner of the Bonecrusher Stakes at Ellerslie and started favourite for Saturday’s feature race.

Ridden by Rory Hutchings who has recently returned from injury, the son of Thorn Park went to the lead from barrier three on the Heavy 11 track.

In the final straight a strong challenge was lodged by Role Model (NZ) (Bel Danoro) who headed the favourite around the 200m mark. Sacred Park showed great determination to fight back to regain the lead and despite shifting outwards under pressure was able to win by a neck.

The Karaka Select Sale graduate lead home a Karaka trifecta with Role Model and third placed Lucky Feather (NZ) (Darci Brahma).

“It wasn’t the intention to lead but there wasn’t a lot of speed early and he lead comfortably and Rory rated him well so it was a good strong win,” said Tony Pike.

“It was the first time with blinkers on and he is a pretty casual customer who tends to wait for them to get to him.

“Probably leading for the first time with blinkers on meant he didn’t see the other horse coming then he has kicked back and won quite comfortably on the line.

“The obvious race is the 2000 Guineas at Riccarton so he will fly down on the Thursday and race in the Guineas on the Saturday.

“He is a very big, mature, strong colt who looks like he will go a little bit further trip wise. He is strong galloper who looks like he will get better as he matures and gets over further distance.”

Raced by Raffles Thoroughbred Racing & E Hwang, Sacred Park has won three of his four career starts and has accumulated $105,200 in prizemoney. He was purchased by Raffles Dancers (NZ) Pty Ltd for $110,000 at the 2012 Karaka Select Sale from Mapperley Stud.

Bred by Harvey Digby Bloodstock Ltd, Sacred Park is by Thorn Park, a sire that has had a huge impact in a short career already the sire of five Group 1 winners. His dam is the unraced Dosh (Danske), dam of three horses to race who have all been winners.

Thorn Park is represented by four two-year-olds in next month’s NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka.

For catalogues, Breeze Up DVDs, and sale information from NZB visit www.nzb.co.nz.