Sacred Falls (NZ) fulfilled his destiny with a Group 1 triumph in the NZ 2000 Guineas at Riccarton on Saturday.  The handsome O’Reilly colt stretched his unbeaten run to six for Cambridge trainers Tony Pike and Mark Donoghue.

Sacred Falls (3c O’Reilly – Iguazu’s Girl by Redoute’s Choice) was headed in the straight by game filly Oasis Rose (Oasis Dream) but he fought back to score by a half-head.  Last season’s Champion NZ 2YO Warhorse (General Nediym) was third home.

“He’s always had the temperament and ability to be a top-liner,” Pike said. “That filly ran enormously well but Leith (Innes) rode our colt like he was the best horse.”

Sacred Falls started this season with a Listed win in the Challenge Stakes at Ruakaka before a scintillating victory in the G2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas after slipping at the start.  He completed a perfect Guineas preparation in the Listed Sarten Memorial at Te Rapa last month.

Sacred Falls will now be sent for a deserved spell with thoughts of an overseas campaign on his return.  “He will go for a good break for probably six weeks,” Pike added.   “Then we will sit down with the owner and maybe look at Sydney over Easter.”

Sacred Falls (NZ) was bred and  sold by Waikato Stud for $160,000 at NZ Bloodstock’s 2011 Karaka Premier Sale for $160,000.  He is owned by Dato Yap who races the colt under his Raffles Dancers banner with bloodstock manager Bruce Sherwin.