Online purchase Sacred Kenshi wins at first start for new trainer Stephen Theodore

It didn’t take trainer Stephen Theodore long to get back the $16,000 he parted with when buying Sacred Kenshi online earlier this month.

Sacred Kenshi was bought for $16,000 earlier this month. Picutre: Makoto Kaneko

Trainer Stephen Theodore only has a small team but is set to have some fun with new addition Sacred Kenshi ($21) after Saturday’s victory in the Fotobase Group Hcp (1950m) at Morphettville Parks.

The local conditioner purchased Sacred Kenshi online earlier this month for $16,000 on Inglis Digital and the galloper has already won more than that with Saturday’s win delivering $27,300 for first place.

READ: Broadsiding wins the Group 1 Golden Rose

Sacred Kenshi showed a sharp turn of foot, hitting the front 250m from home and giving the gelding back-to-back wins after winning at his last Victorian start when sent around Mornington.

"Welcome to SA!" 🗣️

The former Victorian galloper, Sacred Kenshi, dominates for the new stable 😳 pic.twitter.com/pTgJEl5xC2

— Racing.com (@Racing) September 28, 2024

Theodore says he’s only got a small stable of eight but is confident his new acquisition will be winning more races at his new surroundings in South Australia and hopes he can prove as a good advertisement to get more gallopers.

“I identified him on Inglis Digital earlier this month, bought him and syndicated him,” Theodore told Racing.com.

“He was a last start winner and when he came over, he just looked amazing and I didn’t know how I was going to improve him.

“I sent him up the hill for three weeks and he worked with Savsonic, who is airborne.

“For a horse we paid $16,000 for, we’re pretty chuffed and he’s paid for himself already.”

Sacred Kenshi was a smart winner for his new stable. Picture: Makoto Kaneko

The six-year-old son of Sacred Falls was one of two runners in Saturday’s contest for Theodore with bookmakers giving stablemate Savsonic a better hope of getting the money, sent around as the $4 favourite.

And while there was a big gap between the two in the market, Theodore wasn’t surprise with what unfolded.

“It’s not a shock to the stable,” Theodore said.

“He was either going to be one of those horses that works well in the morning and delivers zero on raceday, or he was going to do exactly what he did today.

“He’s a serious stayer over here in South Australia.”

Jockey Sairyn Fawke has ridden Sacred Kenshi in trackwork since shifting stables and gave him a good hope ahead of Saturday’s race.

“He just gives me an enormous feel and he’s just got a real good motor on him,” Fawke said.

“I went past them and when he got to the front, he sort of floated for a bit but I think once he gets out over more ground, he’s only going to improve.”

Meanwhile, a few races later, Test The Law went from last-to-first in the $65,000 Hahn Handicap (1600m).

Test The Law darts through the pack & comes from last to win the Hahn Handicap 💪@SeyersRacingpic.twitter.com/LKM09q6dpI

— Racing.com (@Racing) September 28, 2024

Jockey Jacob Opperman produced a peach of a ride to get the five-year-old gelding home, navigating a tricky path in the straight to get the money.

Air Assault was crunched into $1.65 and took up the running after working from a wide barrier but was unable to go on with the job when called upon in the straight.

It puts plans to tackle the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield next month in doubt.

Originally published as Online purchase Sacred Kenshi wins at first start for new trainer Stephen Theodore