Sandy Creek (horse)

Sandy Creek never contested a maiden race beginning his racing career by finishing fifth of the nine runners behind Dickens Hill in the Group Three Anglesey Stakes over six and a half furlongs at the Curragh in August. He then started a 33/1 outsider for the Group One National Stakes over the seven furlongs at the same track but belied his odds by finishing third to Tap On Wood and Dickens Hill, beaten a length after being slightly hampered by the winner in the closing stages. In the Group Three Larkspur Stakes at Leopardstown in September he started second favourite behind the British-trained Shack. He raced in second place behind Carelko before taking the lead a furlong from the finish and won by a length from Shack with Carelko in third. In the Beresford Stakes at the Curragh two weeks later he was matched against the Vincent O'Brien-trained Accomplice. He looked likely to win in the final furlong but was overhauled in the final strides and beaten a head by the 50/1 outsider Just A Game.[6]

In late October Sandy Creek was sent to England to contest the Group One William Hill Futurity over one mile at Doncaster Racecourse. Ridden by Christy Roche he started at odds of 15/1[7] in a field of eleven runners. His main rivals appeared to be Lyphard's Wish (winner of the Solario Stakes), Warmington (third in the Dewhurst Stakes) and Bolide (runner-up in the Critérium de Maisons-Laffitte). Bolide took the lead from the start and set a very strong pace, whilst Sandy Creek was settled behind the leaders and turned into the straight in fourth place. Sandy Creek overtook Bolide a furlong and a half from the finish and held off several challengers to win by three quarters of a length from Warmington, with Lyphard's Wish, Laska Floko and Bolide close behind. The winning time of 1:38.32 was a track record for two-year-olds.[8][6]

Sandy Creek stayed in training in 1979 but never ran again and was retired from racing at the end of the season. He was reportedly bought for £600,000 by John Magnier.[9]