Visiting Australian jockey Harry Grace recorded his first win in New Zealand with a dominant performance by Sacred Pearl in Saturday’s NZFLL Egmont Cup (2100m) at Hawera.
The 25-year-old crossed the Tasman to continue his long-running association with Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) contender Rolls, who he guided to a second placing in the Team Wealleans Premier (2000m) at Matamata on Wednesday.
Grace is making the most of his Kiwi stint with a number of other rides, including a bold fourth aboard $80 longshot Lightning Jack in the Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m). He also picked up a pair of placings earlier on Saturday’s Hawera card with Jacks Pride and Black Betty.
The breakthrough win came from $19 outsider Sacred Pearl, who enjoyed a perfect run in the Egmont Cup after jumping well from gate two.
The race was run at breakneck speed, with five horses lining up across the track and vying for the lead as they passed the finish line with a lap to go. My Maebelline Girl pressed on to take up her customary front-running position, but there was little let-up in the tempo from there.
Grace had Sacred Pearl travelling comfortably in fifth or sixth spot, then began to move closer as the early pressure started to take its toll out in front.
Wheelitin rounded the home turn with a clear lead, but Sacred Pearl soon strode past her in the straight. The seven-year-old kicked away to score an emphatic win by a length and three-quarters.
“It’s fantastic to get a win in New Zealand, and this horse has done it in very good fashion,” Grace said. “We had a lovely run. They rocked along a bit quicker than I was expecting, but she was travelling well all the way. I was able to just keep her on the bridle and then go when I wanted to go. It worked out well for her.
“Things didn’t go quite right for her in her previous start (sixth on a Heavy10 track at New Plymouth), but her couple of performances before that were quite strong. Based on her performance today, I wouldn’t be surprised if she went on with it and did a bit more in this preparation.”
The Lisa Latta-trained Sacred Pearl has now had 43 starts for six wins, 13 placings and $193,765 in stakes for owners Tony and Sharyn Loveridge. The daughter of Sacred Falls was bred by Waikato Stud’s Garry Chittick and was bought for just $2,600 as a weanling on Gavelhouse.com.
Latta has nominated Sacred Pearl for the Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m) at Riccarton on November 16, but has not yet committed to a Christchurch trip.
“She’s been in work a long time now, so we’ll just have to see how she does,” the Awapuni trainer said. “It was a really good win today. She had a lovely draw and Harry gave her a great run. I think the better track conditions were the key to her improved performance. We’re delighted to win a good race like this with her.”
Sacred Pearl is now rated a $31 chance in the TAB’s New Zealand Cup market. A notable mover was Canheroc, who produced an eye-catching run from the back of the field to finish fourth in Saturday’s Egmont Cup. He has tightened from $12 to $8, now holding second favouritism behind Nest Egg ($6).