Sacred Elixir (NZ) Completes Big Caulfield Double for Karaka Graduates

High-class gelding Sacred Elixir (NZ) (Pour Moi) capped a great day for New Zealand-bred three-year-olds at Caulfield on Saturday when he scored an outstanding win in the A$175,000 Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m).

A mere 40 minutes after Karaka graduate Legless Veuve (NZ) (Pins) and Kiwi Group 1 winner Luna Rossa (NZ) (Written Tycoon) ran a quinella in the Group 2 Schweppes Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m), Sacred Elixir kicked off his ambitious spring campaign on a winning note.

The Tony Pike-trained gelding, who is nominated for the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m), Cox Plate (2040m) and Victoria Derby (2500m), raced in midfield for jockey Damian Lane before being angled into the clear at the top of the straight to make his run. He overpowered his rivals through the last 300 metres, scoring by a narrow but convincing long neck from Revolving Door (Sebring).

"He's a horse that's only going to get a lot better once he gets over further," Pike said. "Damian (Lane) gave him a peach of a ride. He got him out at the right time and gave him plenty of time to wind up into his top gear.

"It was a super result and he'll only improve from here. His main target is the (Victoria) Derby, that's what he's bred to do. So to win over 1400 metres here at Caulfield, it's a really pleasing effort first-up.

"It's a bit of a surprise, but he's got a lot of class on his side which probably helped. And just being fresh today, he travelled super."

Saturday’s win was Sacred Elixir’s fourth from seven career starts and boosted his prize-money earnings to A$557,126. He ended his two-year-old campaign with a Group 1 win in the JJ Atkins Stakes (1600m) in Brisbane.

Sacred Elixir is by Epsom Derby winner Pour Moi out of the Stravinsky mare Baltika (NZ), who is a granddaughter of the champion mare Horlicks (NZ) (Three Legs).

Sacred Elixir was bred by Horlicks’ owner-breeder Graham de Gruchy and was raised at Wentwood Grange, who offered him at the 2015 Premier Sale. He was purchased there by Raffles Racing and Mulcaster Bloodstock for $170,000. The exciting galloper races in the distinctive yellow, purple and white colours of Raffles Thoroughbred Racing.