Rotorua Cup Win for $15,000 Karaka Graduate Pacorus (NZ)

Pacorus (NZ) (Tavistock), who was bought for just $15,000 at the 2013 Select Sale at Karaka, scored the eighth and most significant win of his career when he took out Sunday’s $75,000 Group 3 Campbell Infrastructure Rotorua Cup (2200m).

Rider Viktoria Gatu had the Chris Wood-trained five-year-old prominent throughout the staying test, which became survival of the fittest on a very wet track. Pacorus hit the lead in the straight and powered through the mud to win by two and a quarter lengths.

Pacorus has now won eight of his 28 starts, placing in another six and earning prize-money of $193,525 – almost 13 times his purchase price.

Sunday’s win was particularly satisfying for Wood, who was aiming Pacorus at the Group 1 Sydney Cup before shelving those plans due to physical setbacks.

“He’s had a few niggles along the way,” he said. “We had a lady come over from Australia, a daughter of a guy I’ve worked with in the past, come over and work on his back and put it back in place. Consequently he was back in form today. We’re thrilled to see him win.”

Pacorus was bred by Anne Corcoran and was offered by Lansdowne Park Ltd at the 2013 Select Sale, where Havelock North couple Dave and Jenny Morison bought him for $15,000.

Pacorus is raced by the Morisons in partnership with John Borich, Tony Craig, Ian Goodlet, Ken Green, Neville Jamieson, John Morgan, Trevor Palmer and Tim Vince.