Just six years ago Triple Honour won the Doncaster to confirm trainer Chris Waller’s rise in Australian racing.
On Saturday at Randwick, Sacred Falls led in an unprecedented first four in the famous mile for Sydney’s leading trainer.
Waller had numbers on his side with five runners as he bettered the feat by Guy Walter in 2005 who trained the trifecta.
“It is special because this race turned me around as a trainer,” Waller said.
Sacred Falls, Zac Purton - Photo by Sharon Chapman
“You just hope you get things right on the day.
Hong Kong-based Australian Zac Purton was recruited to ride last year’s Doncaster winner Sacred Falls who was sent out at $10 with stablemate Weary the $4.40 favourite.
Outsider Fat Al led the field from his wide alley as the favoured runners jostled for positions.
Sacred Falls ($10) came out of the pack with Royal Descent ($8.50) launching her challenge and momentarily heading him.
But under hard riding from Purton, Sacred Falls dug deep to get the better of the mare by a half length with Weary 2-1/2 lengths third and Hawkspur ($10) fourth.
“He is a very good colt,” Waller said of the winner.
“He won it last year and beat Pierro. I guess there could have been a bit of doubt about his class with the lighter weight then but he’s come back close to the topweight this year.
“It really shows how good he is and it’s quite unbelievable to get the first four.”
Nash Rawiller thought he had the race won on last year’s ATC Oaks winner Royal Descent and the trainer said had the barriers been reversed, the result might have been different.
“She had barrier 20, she was four wide and doing it tough,” Waller said.
“Full credit to Nash. He wanted to ride her that way and he held her together for as long as he could only to be run down by Sacred Falls.
“We had her cherry ripe for the day and turn the barriers around it might have been a photo finish.”
For Purton, whose only other Group One in Australia is the 2008 Epsom Handicap on Theseo, the win was sweet.
Purton is leading the Hong Kong premiership and is more recognisable outside his home country.
“I’ve ridden winners all over the world but I don’t get many opportunities to come back,” Purton said.
“Maybe it’s because I wasn’t really established when I left.
“It is special to come back here and win a race like the Doncaster.”
Behind the Waller first four, Ninth Legion ($51) ran a bold race for fifth while Japanese visitor Hana’s Goal ($51) made up a lot of ground in the straight to finish sixth with her jockey Kyousuke Maruta saying through an interpreter the ground was heavier than she had ever experienced.
Waller said the four horses and maybe My Kingdom Of Fife, would back up in next Saturday’s $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
