Wellington Boot winner I Am Snippety provided the tragic element to day one of The Championships on Saturday, breaking down in the opening event on the program and having to be destroyed.

The speedy filly, who scored arguably the easiest win in Boot history a fortnight earlier, was leading as the field rounded the turn in the Group Three Kindergarten Stakes (1100m).

But shortly after her off-foreleg gave way and she was eased out of the event by jockey Winona Costin before being put down by vets on course.

The incident marred what was otherwise an exciting day of racing as a new era dawned on the sport in Sydney and NSW.

Legendary trainer Bart Cummings and his grandson James ultimately captured the Kindergarten with lightly raced colt Hallowed Crown.

The four Group One events on the day provided great theatre with Peggy Jean's throng of owners enjoying the ultimate reward in the Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) for two-year-olds, Criterion backing up his Rosehill Guineas win with victory in the AJC Derby (2400m), Lankan Rupee showing blistering speed through the bog conditions to win the TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) and Chris Waller dominating the Doncaster Handicap (1600m).

Six years after the former Kiwi trainer won his first Group One with Triple Honour in the same race, he led in an unprecedented first four in the famous mile.

Sacred Falls ($10.00, Zac Purton) won the event for the second consecutive year, beating home Royal Descent ($8.00, Nash Rawiller), Weary ($4.40 fav, Tommy Berry) and Hawkspur ($10.00, Jim Cassidy).

"He is a very good colt," Waller said of the winner.

"He won it last year and beat Pierro. I guess there could have been a bit of doubt about his class with the lighter weight then but he's come back close to the topweight this year. "It really shows how good he is and it's quite unbelievable to get the first four."