Sacred Falls - Photo NZTM Website
Following his sensational win in the Gr 2 DHL Hawke's Bay Guineas, Sacred Falls has been getting huge accolades from his trainers, his rider, from those who witnessed the race and from the media, but perhaps the biggest compliment comes from Waikato Stud's Mark Chittick who likens the colt to his illustrious father.
"He is the closest I've seen to his father racing wise. As a three-year-old at his first start O'Reilly did exactly the same thing - lost four lengths at the start of his race and cruised home to win easily. The only difference is O'Reilly went up in the air, whereas Sacred Falls went down on his nose. He's not as big as his father yet, but he is an efficient and economic galloper like his old man and that run was quite unbelievable," said an obviously proud and delighted Chittick, the breeder of the colt.
In the running of the Hawke's Bay Guineas, Sacred Falls slipped at the start, crossed his front legs and then his back legs went from under him. He then went down on his nose before gathering himself up and taking part in the race. After losing about six lengths, he ran up to the tail of the field and settled in the rear bunch. He set after the leaders at the 600 before unleashing an amazing sprint in the straight to run away by one and a quarter lengths.
It was his fourth appearance at the races, and his fourth win. He debuted in May with a win over 1000 metres at Ruakaka, and followed that with a win over 1200 metres at Te Rapa three weeks later. In mid-September he stepped out fresh without a trial in the second running of the listed Westbury Stud Challenge Stakes, again at Ruakaka, and easily won that event.
Like last year's winner Antonio Lombardo (also by a Waikato Stud sire in Pins) he went on to take out the Hawke's Bay Guineas. And it looks like he will be following the same campaign as Antonio Lombardo by running next in the Gr 3 James and Annie Sarten Memorial at Te Rapa before heading for either the Gr 1 Levin Classic or 2000 Guineas.
Sacred Falls is raced in New Zealand by Raffles Dancers (NZ) Pty owned by Malaysian construction millionaire Dato Yap Kim San, who also owns Raffles Farm in Cambridge.
The farm and Yap's bloodstock interests in Australasia are managed by Bruce Sherwin.
In the three years since he purchased the farm Yap has invested in a number of quality broodmares and yearlings. As well as having 22 mares he will present 15 yearlings for sale this summer.
"I am really pleased for Raffles Farm and for Bruce Sherwin. It's great to see them get a good result - they have been good supporters of us both in buying yearlings and breeding mares. One of the first horses they were involved with racing was Shamrocker (O'Reilly – Bohemian Blues) so I know they are huge O'Reilly fans," said Chittick.
Sacred Falls was sold at the 2011 Premier Yearling Sale at Karaka for $160,000. He is the third foal of the winning Redoute's Choice (AUS) (Danehill[USA]- Shanta's Choice) mare Iguazu's Girl. She in turn is the first foal of the multiple group winner Iguazu who is by Carolingian (AUS) out of an unraced Centaine (AUS) daughter of Bourbon Lass, Clermont Lass. Bourbon Lass is the dam of the stakes winners Centie Lass (Centaine), Zamazaan Lass and Prince Bourbon, and is also the dam of Bourbon Lassie, the dam of Omnicorp, Crimson, Pharostan and Bourbon Boy.
In more recent times the family has produced Grand Dancer (No Excuse Needed [USA]) and Aspinal (Pins [AUS]).
Iguazu's Girl first foal went to Hong Kong and is unraced. Her second foal is It Girl and she has had three starts from the stable of Chris Waller in Sydney for a win and a second. There is also a two-year-old colt, and an outstanding yearling filly which will be retained by the stud. All five are by O'Reilly, and although she is due to foal to Savabeel, she will return to O'Reilly this season.
"We sent her to O'Reilly because being by Redoute's Choice she is not an overly big mare, and on type he suited her nicely. On pedigree it was just a matter of breeding the best with the best.
"Iguazu was a mare Bruce Perry bought for us from Roy Potter. We have had so much success with the mares he sourced for us from the Potters. River Century, the dam of Legs (Pins) was one of those mares, as was Jacowin (AUS) the dam of Metal Bender.
"Iguazu's Girl was her first foal and part of the package. We sent Iguazu to O'Reilly and she produced Splashing Out (O'Reilly), a group three winner in Melbourne and she has gone on to leave Shopaholic (Pins) the winner of five including the group two Angus Armanasco Stakes. But this horse, Sacred Falls" he added "looks like a seriously good racehorse and it could make for a very exciting spring".
- Michelle Saba
"He is the closest I've seen to his father racing wise. As a three-year-old at his first start O'Reilly did exactly the same thing - lost four lengths at the start of his race and cruised home to win easily. The only difference is O'Reilly went up in the air, whereas Sacred Falls went down on his nose. He's not as big as his father yet, but he is an efficient and economic galloper like his old man and that run was quite unbelievable," said an obviously proud and delighted Chittick, the breeder of the colt.
In the running of the Hawke's Bay Guineas, Sacred Falls slipped at the start, crossed his front legs and then his back legs went from under him. He then went down on his nose before gathering himself up and taking part in the race. After losing about six lengths, he ran up to the tail of the field and settled in the rear bunch. He set after the leaders at the 600 before unleashing an amazing sprint in the straight to run away by one and a quarter lengths.
It was his fourth appearance at the races, and his fourth win. He debuted in May with a win over 1000 metres at Ruakaka, and followed that with a win over 1200 metres at Te Rapa three weeks later. In mid-September he stepped out fresh without a trial in the second running of the listed Westbury Stud Challenge Stakes, again at Ruakaka, and easily won that event.
Like last year's winner Antonio Lombardo (also by a Waikato Stud sire in Pins) he went on to take out the Hawke's Bay Guineas. And it looks like he will be following the same campaign as Antonio Lombardo by running next in the Gr 3 James and Annie Sarten Memorial at Te Rapa before heading for either the Gr 1 Levin Classic or 2000 Guineas.
Sacred Falls is raced in New Zealand by Raffles Dancers (NZ) Pty owned by Malaysian construction millionaire Dato Yap Kim San, who also owns Raffles Farm in Cambridge.
The farm and Yap's bloodstock interests in Australasia are managed by Bruce Sherwin.
In the three years since he purchased the farm Yap has invested in a number of quality broodmares and yearlings. As well as having 22 mares he will present 15 yearlings for sale this summer.
"I am really pleased for Raffles Farm and for Bruce Sherwin. It's great to see them get a good result - they have been good supporters of us both in buying yearlings and breeding mares. One of the first horses they were involved with racing was Shamrocker (O'Reilly – Bohemian Blues) so I know they are huge O'Reilly fans," said Chittick.
Sacred Falls was sold at the 2011 Premier Yearling Sale at Karaka for $160,000. He is the third foal of the winning Redoute's Choice (AUS) (Danehill[USA]- Shanta's Choice) mare Iguazu's Girl. She in turn is the first foal of the multiple group winner Iguazu who is by Carolingian (AUS) out of an unraced Centaine (AUS) daughter of Bourbon Lass, Clermont Lass. Bourbon Lass is the dam of the stakes winners Centie Lass (Centaine), Zamazaan Lass and Prince Bourbon, and is also the dam of Bourbon Lassie, the dam of Omnicorp, Crimson, Pharostan and Bourbon Boy.
In more recent times the family has produced Grand Dancer (No Excuse Needed [USA]) and Aspinal (Pins [AUS]).
Iguazu's Girl first foal went to Hong Kong and is unraced. Her second foal is It Girl and she has had three starts from the stable of Chris Waller in Sydney for a win and a second. There is also a two-year-old colt, and an outstanding yearling filly which will be retained by the stud. All five are by O'Reilly, and although she is due to foal to Savabeel, she will return to O'Reilly this season.
"We sent her to O'Reilly because being by Redoute's Choice she is not an overly big mare, and on type he suited her nicely. On pedigree it was just a matter of breeding the best with the best.
"Iguazu was a mare Bruce Perry bought for us from Roy Potter. We have had so much success with the mares he sourced for us from the Potters. River Century, the dam of Legs (Pins) was one of those mares, as was Jacowin (AUS) the dam of Metal Bender.
"Iguazu's Girl was her first foal and part of the package. We sent Iguazu to O'Reilly and she produced Splashing Out (O'Reilly), a group three winner in Melbourne and she has gone on to leave Shopaholic (Pins) the winner of five including the group two Angus Armanasco Stakes. But this horse, Sacred Falls" he added "looks like a seriously good racehorse and it could make for a very exciting spring".
- Michelle Saba
