Second Group 1 victory for Sacred Star

A Stradbroke campaign is on the cards for Sacred Star after his dominant victory in Saturday’s $200,000 Waikato RC NRM Sprint 1400m G1.

The Raffles Racing-owned 5YO gelding and his jockey Vinny Colgan  put the race beyond doubt in soon after entering the straight and drove clear to by 1.3 lengths from Natuzzi and Spin Doctor in a sizzling 1:20.81. 

Colgan said, “The draw was a bit of a worry, but things just worked out for us.

“There was a good, even tempo and I ended up with a beautiful run. I knew at the 400 that I had plenty of horse and it was a matter of waiting to let him go.”

Also the winner of last month’s WRC Telegraph H. G1, Sacred Star joins Mentality, Forensics & Juanmo in a quartet of multiple Group 1 winners by Arrowfield’s retired champion sire Flying Spur.

Trainer Tony Pike is now planning another Queensland winter campaign for Sacred Star who won the QTC Cup G2 last May before running fifth from a wide gate in the Stradroke H. G1.  Those races are likely to be on his schedule again this year. Any success in Australia would support Sacred Star’s already strong claim to Champion Sprinter honours in New Zealand.

Sacred Star (ex Irish Nova by O’Reilly) was bred by Victorian businessman Mark Ruff and purchased by Guy Mulcaster for $200,000 at the 2011 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale, where he was offered by Attunga Stud on Mark’s behalf.