Heavily-backed debutante Sacred Falls made the best possible start to his career at Ruakaka this week.

Sacred Falls (2c O’Reilly – Iguazu’s Girl by Redoute’s Choice) justified strong support with a narrow victory at the first time of asking in the Captain Rio 2YO Challenge Hcp (1000m).  He took the eye in the parade ring and during the race itself with a determined performance.  After missing the start and hitting trouble in the run, he got up right on the line.

Waikato Stud bred and sold Sacred Falls to Raffles Dancers for $160,000 at the 2011 NZB Premier yearling sale.  The Tony Pike and Mark Donoghue-trained youngster was expected to go close first-up on the strength of his trial form and he duly delivered.

Back at the Cambridge trials in February, he had beaten Saturn Rock who came out and won at Trentham on debut.  Taken to Australia by trainer Shaune Ritchie, Saturn Rock (Fastnet Rock) was placed in the LR Hampden Stakes at Doomben last Saturday and holds entries for next month’s Qld Sires’ Produce Stakes and T J Smith.

Sacred Falls is line-bred to 1982 USA Broodmare of the Year Best in Show.  His dam Iguazu’s Girl (Redoute’s Choice) is a half-sister to the Waikato G3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes winner Splashing Out whose first foal is G2 Angus Armanasco Stakes winner Shopaholic.

Arrowfield Stud champion Redoute’s Choice is beginning to build his broodmare numbers but it’s only early days.  Sacred Falls is the sole NZ based two year-old starter out of a Redoute’s Choice mare this season.

In Australia in that category, Redoute’s Choice is the damsire of top-class Patinack filly Hussousa (LR Gimcrack Stakes) and Perth’s Champion 2YO Luke’s Luck (G2 Karrakatta Plate).