Sacred Park (NZ) bagged the first leg of an important three-year-old double for trainers Tony Pike and Mark Donoghue in the G2 Wellington Guineas on Saturday.

Sacred Park (3c Thorn Park – Dosh by Danske) made the running at Trentham and, although headed by Role Model at the furlong, fought back strongly to win by a neck.  “He’s a big, lazy colt and he only does what he has to do,” Pike said.  “But he’s very tough and is a nice, progressive horse.”

The stable’s focus will now turn to Allez Eagle (NZ).  The Guillotine gelding takes on a hot line-up in the G3 Sarten Memorial at Te Rapa on Monday.

Both three-year-olds are on their way to the G1 Two Thousand Guineas and Sacred Park will be ideally suited to Riccarton’s course and distance.  “A big track will suit him,” Pike added.  “He’s a long-striding horse and will definitely get the trip.”

Sacred Park won at his only start as a two-year-old in May and landed the G3 Bonecrusher Stakes at Ellerslie last month.  He will attempt to emulate stablemate Sacred Falls (O’Reilly) who won the 2013 Two Thousand Guineas.

The winner is by Windsor Park’s deceased champion sire Thorn Park and was a $110,000 buy from Mapperley Stud at the 2012 NZB Select yearling sale.  His dam Dosh has a 2yo filly by Thorn Park and a yearling colt by Guillotine.