Explosive JJ Atkins Win for Sacred Elixir (NZ)

Sacred Elixir (NZ) (Pour Moi) blazed down the Eagle Farm straight to score a powerful win in Saturday’s A$600,000 Group 1 BMW JJ Atkins Stakes (1600m).

The favourite for the season-ending juvenile feature courtesy of a fast-finishing sixth in the Group 2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1350m), Sacred Elixir again settled back in the field before swooping wide around the home turn and unleashing an explosive finishing burst. The race was over in the blink of an eye as Sacred Elixir bounded away to score by three and a half lengths.

“He’s a beautiful horse,” winning jockey Zac Purton said. “He’s got good size about him, he’s got a good brain, but he hasn’t quite filled into his body yet. Come spring time, I think we’ll see a really nice horse.”

Trainer Tony Pike will aim the star gelding at the Group 1 VRC Derby (2500m) at Flemington in November.

“We’ve always thought he was an extremely promising horse,” Pike said. “He’s a horse who needs more ground, but we hadn’t had the chance to get him up past 1400 metres. This race was perfect for him, over a mile at a big roomy track.

“The Derby has always been the long-term plan for him. He’s got a real stayer’s pedigree and he’ll be a lovely horse when he gets to 2000 metres and further.

“He’s a beautiful big horse and he’s only going to furnish more as he gets older.”

The first Group One winner for Epsom Derby winner Pour Moi (Montjeu), Sacred Elixir was bred by Graham De Gruchy who is best known as the owner-breeder of the champion mare Horlicks (NZ) (Three Legs).

Horlicks is the third dam of Sacred Elixir, who is the first foal to race out of the Stravinsky mare Baltika (NZ).

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