Sacred Falls (NZ) The Main Man at Randwick

Star kiwi galloper Sacred Falls (NZ) (O’Reilly) notched up his fourth Group 1 victory of his career with a dominant performance in the Group 1 A$350,000 George Main Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.

Kiwi Sacred Falls (NZ) victorious in the Group 1 George Main Stakes at Randwick.

It was his third Group 1 success over the mile course at Randwick having won back-to-back Group 1 Doncaster Handicaps in 2013 & 2014 for trainer Chris Waller.

Entering the race on the back of two sound fourth placings this preparation, Sacred Falls was on top of his game for his 2014 Group 1 Doncaster Handicap winning rider Zac Purton, last season’s leading rider in Hong Kong who returned to Australia to ride him on Saturday.

“He could have been in the breeding barn but he’s here winning Group One races so it’s full credit to his owners,” commented Waller. “And it’s good to see him do it on a good track and prove he’s not just a wet tracker.”

Sacred Falls settled mid-field from barrier one in a slowly run race and was deprived of a gap for much of the straight. Initially looking to the outside, Purton spotted a gap nearer the rails and the son of O’Reilly dashed through the opening to burst to the lead and put the race beyond doubt in a matter of strides. He won by 1.3 lengths from stablemate Royal Descent (Redoute’s Choice) with Laser Hawk (Artie Schiller) in third.

“It’s his fourth Group One win and they’ve all been over a mile but I think he’s going the right way to get 2000 metres in the Cox Plate,” said Waller. “One of his career-best runs was when he came second to It’s A Dundeel in the Queen Elizabeth. He’s bang-on for Moonee Valley.”

Saturday’s victory was Sacred Falls’ ninth career success from 22 starts and his first at weight-for-age level. He started his career in New Zealand, where he is undefeated with the Group 1 NZ 2000 Guineas his highlight win.  

He is raced by Dato Yap Kim San’s Raffles Thoroughbred Racing and Waikato Stud’s Gary Chittick, earning $4,660,237 in his career. Waikato Stud bought back into the horse last year and he is set to stand at the Stud next year alongside his sire O’Reilly.

Bred by Waikato Stud, Sacred Falls is out of Iguazu’s Girl (Redoute’s Choice), a daughter of multiple stakes winner Iguazu (Carolingian) and a half-sister to Group 3 winner Splashing Out (O’Reilly), the dam of Group 2 winner Shopaholic (Pins).

Mulcaster Bloodstock purchased Sacred Falls for NZ$160,000 at the 2011 Karaka Premier Sale from Waikato Stud.

The win of Sacred Falls capped a hugely successful day for kiwi-bred horses and Karaka graduates at Randwick with Kuro (NZ) (Denman) and First Seal (Fastnet Rock) both winning feature races on Saturday’s card.