More Than Sacred Sublime in G1 NZ Oaks

The highly successful Raffles Dancers operation claimed its second Group 1 race of the season with More Than Sacred winning the last leg of NZB’s Filly of the Year Series, Saturday’s $300,000 Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham.

Owners Raffles Dancers, trainers Tony Pike & Mark Donoghue and jockey Leith Innes combined to win the Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas in the spring with Sacred Falls (O’Reilly) and More Than Sacred (More Than Ready x Danalaga) looked every bit as smart as their Guineas winner when taking her first Group 1 race in the Oaks.

More Than Sacred is the second Group 1 winner for owners Raffles Dancers this season

More Than Sacred was well supported in her Oaks bid on the tote and she produced a superb performance from barrier 14, racing three wide early in the race before settling just off the pace. However all that seemed to have little consequence in the straight as she powered away to a two length victory in a convincing staying display.

The win brought up back-to-back Group victories for the Raffles Dancers bred More Than Sacred as she won the Group 3 Sunline Vase at her last start. The win also gives the daughter of More Than Ready 12 Series points, taking her total to 14 points and an overall fourth place in the Filly of the Year Series.

The Oaks Stud won the Oaks last year with their filly Artistic (Darci Brahma) and they went close this year as both runners up carried the Oaks colours, Blanket Bay (Darci Brahma) who raced gamely for second earning 7 Series points and Aurora Lights (Darci Brahma) who finished third earning 3.5 points.

The overall winner of New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2012/13 Filly of the Year Series was Fix (Iffraaj) who finished with 27.5 Series points. To read more about her Series victory, click here.