Sacred Fall’s son impresses on debut

Trainer John O’Shea has been won over by the Sacred Falls 3-year-old Waihaha Falls, who made the perfect start to his career this afternoon on the Kensington track.

The Randwick conditioner was sent the gelding by breeders and owners Waikato Stud and Hastings trainer Guy Lowry following a trial placing and wasn’t surprised at the outcome.

“I’ve been really taken by the horse and I’m really happy for the owners,” O’Shea said.

Waihaha Falls jumped well from the inside gate to trail the leaders and rounded off strongly in the run home to score by a comfortable 0.5l under jockey Tom Marquand.

“Drawing helped him and it was a very good win. He’s got a bright future and I’ll get a few more miles into his legs. With a spell, he will come back in the spring a really good horse,” O’Shea said.

English jockey Marquand echoed the trainer’s opinion and said Waihaha Falls had plenty more to offer.

“I got the chance to jump on him the other morning and he’s a really nice horse. I probably hit the front a bit too soon and there’s a lot to come from him.”

Waihaha Falls is out of the Scaredee Cat mare Think Mink, also trained by O’Shea, and she was successful three times and her only other foal to race has been the multiple winner Golden Key, by Pins.

The mare, who is out of a half-sister to the Listed WATC St Leger winner Crumpet O’Reilly, produced a colt last year by Vadamos.