O’Reilly reigns supreme

Waikato Stud’s O’Reilly enjoyed yet another stellar day with his son and future associate stallion Sacred Falls capping a super Saturday for the champion sire. His emphatic victory in the Gr 1 George Main Stakes followed the sublime winning performance of O’Marilyn in the Gr 3 Hawke’s Bay Breeders’ Stakes Gold Trail Stakes at Hastings.

The undisputed king of the Randwick mile with two Doncaster victories already on his impressive CV, Sacred Falls has now added a top-flight weight-for-age credit to his record and confirmed he was on target for a crack at the Cox Plate. “He’s a very good horse and it was good to see him win today – he’s not just a wet tracker,” trainer Chris Waller said. “Prior to coming to me he won a Group One in New Zealand on a firm track and it was good to see him show it to Australia. That’s his fourth Group One win, all at a mile, what more can you ask?”

Sacred Falls was ridden by Zac Purton, who was aboard in the second of his Doncaster triumphs. He weaved his way through the ruck in the straight before the horse exploded away for a commanding victory. ”He is a terrific horse, Chris has done a great job with him and he loves the mile,” Purton said. The five-year-old is now likely to have one more lead-up run before the weight-for-age championship of Australasia, the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.