Classy O’Reilly Colt Presses Gr.1 Credentials

Quality colt Sacred Falls moved a step closer to his Group One target for the season when he posted an impressive black-type win on his three-year-old return yesterday. The WS-bred and sold son of champion sire O’Reilly gave a classy first-up performance to claim the Listed Westbury Stud Challenge Stakes at Ruakaka.

Unbeaten in both his juvenile appearances, Sacred Falls settled three back on the fence and powered home once angled into the clear by regular rider Leith Innes. He will now head to Hastings for next month’s Gr 2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas as his final lead-in to the Gr 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton in November.

Sacred Falls is raced by Raffles Dancers who paid $160,000 to secure him out of WS 2011 Premier Sale consignment to Karaka. His dam Iguazu’s Girl is a winning daughter of Redoute’s Choice and is a half-sister to the Gr.3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes winner and Gr.1 Ascot Vale Stakes runner-up Splashing Out (O’Reilly). She is, in turn, the dam of the Chittick family’s Gr 2 Angus Armanasco Stakes winner Shopaholic (Pins).