Written by Paul Vettise
Waikato Stud didn’t anticipate the progeny of Sacred Falls (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}) setting the tracks alight as juveniles, with his next season spring 3-year-olds the Matamata farm are really expecting to put the multiple Group 1 winner on the map.
Successful in two editions of the Doncaster H., a George Main S. and the New Zealand 2000 Guineas, Sacred Falls has proved immensely popular with breeders since his retirement to the premier Matamata farm.
An indication his stock will be better with patient handling can be taken from the fact he has only had 12 runners, five of those placing before his daughter Shoshone (NZ) was a dominant winner at Ellerslie on Monday.
“It was great to get that win in such good style,” principal Mark Chittick said. “She’s a home-bred filly as well.
“Sacred Falls has served very good books and he’s had a number of trial winners, plenty of them are showing a lot of talent. Everybody who has them is very happy.
“Sacred Falls has served very good books and he’s had a number of trial winners, plenty of them showing a lot of talent.” – Mark Chittick.
“We’re going into winter now so it’s probably going to be a bit on hold and we are really looking forward to his spring 3-year-olds.”
Shoshone was a NZ$150,000 Karaka purchase and signed for by co-trainer Ken Kelso and Waterford Bloodstock. The filly is out of Dee I Why (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}), who is a three-quarter sister to the Listed New Zealand St Leger winner Ritzy Lady (NZ).
“It’s that O’Reilly-Zabeel cross that has worked so well,” Chittick said. “The mare has a Sacred Falls yearling filly, a Sacred Falls weanling filly and she’s back in foal to him.”
The family boasts an international flavour through the presence of the Group 3 South African winner and Group 1 performer Hancock Park (NZ) (Pompeii Court {USA}), dam of the Group 2 winner Park Lane (SA) (Elliodor {SA}), also placed at the top level.
“We’ll give her a break now and then look at the early 3-year-old races. I really rate her.” – Ken Kelso.
While there was pre-race concern about Shoshone handling the track in the New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Pearl Series Race, there was no doubting the confidence in her talent.
“I like the filly a lot, she’s got a lot of ability, but there was a question mark about the track,” Kelso said.
“She was very impressive and she’d showed a lot at home and at the trials. We’ll give her a break now and then look at the early 3-year-old races. I really rate her.”
Shoshone was a trial winner in the spring before a break and in her latest trial she finished runner-up behind subsequent Listed Futurity S. winner Rhaegar (Pluck {USA}).
“She’s out of a Zabeel mare so she’ll only improve,” Kelso said. “She’s an exciting prospect going forward.”
Shoshone was quickly into stride to sit outside the leader and she kicked away strongly to win at the expense of another debutante Heart Of The Ocean (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), a NZ$975,000 Karaka buy for the China Horse Club.
“She didn’t like the track, but she was the best horse in the race,” winning rider Cameron Lammas said. “She’s a classy filly and jumped out to put herself there and then relaxed.”
