The three-year-old colt was a comfortable winner over 1000m on debut for
Flemington trainer Danny O'Brien, who prepared multiple Group One winning filly
Shamrocker for Yap and Dimery. The pair race under the banners of Raffles Racing and Uluru Farm respectively and both have enjoyed great success with the progeny of Waikato Stud's late Champion sire O'Reilly.
"Sacred Sham's jump-outs have been really good," O'Brien's racing manager Matt Harrington said. "He's an O'Reilly that has needed a bit of time and we're happy to see him do it under race conditions. We'll aim up the tree and see how far he can go.
"He has the scope to go further so we're excited. The last horse by O'Reilly that Uluru Stud and Raffles raced together with us was Shamrocker so hopefully he can follow in her footsteps."
In addition to Shamrocker, Dimery raced O'Reilly's Gr.1 Newmarket Handicap winner Shamexpress, who these days resides at Windsor Park Stud in New Zealand where his first crop-yearlings sold up to $510,000.
Not to be outdone, Raffles Racing's colours were carried to four Group One victories by O'Reilly's son Sacred Falls, with the former Chris Waller-trained galloper now standing at Waikato Stud.
Danny O'Brien's affinity with New Zealand-bred stock was on display just one race later when Winkelmann, a three-year-old daughter of Rip Van Winkle, scored a facile maiden victory over a mile.
"It's great to get a win for Trelawney Stud's Brent and Cherry Taylor," Harrington said. "Over those shorter trips in town she was getting too far back. Today she was able to settle up on speed and lead and she was too good." – NZ Racing Desk.
