Trainer Ben Foote admitted he wasn't sure what to think at the start of the contest and had nearly given up on his charge approaching the home turn.
"Ever since I've had her she has always been slow away from the gates, so it wasn't a total surprise she was again, but I didn't expect her to miss it by as much as she did," he said.
"Approaching the home turn I saw Michael taking her up the rail and I lost sight of her, so I wasn't too sure where she was and what was happening.
"It was a bit of a shock in that last bit to see where she was and then what she did, although I've known for a long time that she has untapped ability."
Video of the race has since gone viral on social media.
"Amazing win Sakura Blossom. Punters would have been throwing away their tickets after the jump," one Twitter user posted.
"A [star] is born. Sakura Blossom. You just don't win like that, unbelievable," wrote another.
Sakura Blossom is now two-from-two after her debut at Cambridge earlier in September.
Bred in Australia, she was originally purchased by Singapore-based Red Hare Bloodstock for $90,000 at the Karaka sales in 2019, before being sold to Hong Kong's Upper Bloodstock later than year for $150,000.
Foote will now form a plan to get some black-type on the mare's CV but will take his time as he tries to improve her raceday manners.
"She is not badly behaved at home although she is a tough nut and a big unit at around 550kg," he said.
"She has her quirks, which I think will improve with racing and just some more experience under her belt.
"Her pedigree suggests she is an out and out sprinter, but you'd have to think she will get a mile the way she can relax and then produce that phenomenal sprint finish.
"At this stage there is another special conditions maiden back at Hastings, which will be ideal for her and then I think we can get serious on that black-type plan."
- With NZ Racing Desk
