Taken at Tuesday's Breakfast with the Best session at Moonee Valley
Darryl Sherer
Sacred Elixir has enjoyed a laid-back introduction to Moonee Valley.
The Cambridge three-year-old was among 60 horses to gallop during the Breakfast with the Best session on Tuesday morning ahead of his return for Saturday's Gr.2 Moonee Valley Vase.
"He worked over a mile on his own and was really relaxed," trainer Tony Pike said. "It gave him a good look around the track and in front of a mini race day crowd. There would have been between three to four thousand people there.
"He got a bit lost around the top bend, but he was better on the final turn."
Sacred Elixir will be stepping up to a middle distance for the first time on Saturday and he will race without blinkers, after travelling keenly when unplaced in the Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas.
"He doesn't need blinkers," Pike said. "He has only worn them to make him a bit sharper when he was racing over shorter distances. They first went on for the Karaka Million.
"He's probably good enough to win the race if he can get around the Valley. But it won't be easy for him and we will be happy as long as he relaxes in the run and hits the line strongly.
"His best runs have been on big tracks and I'm really looking forward to getting him to Flemington. We have always thought he was a stayer."
Melbourne jockey Damian Lane retains the ride this weekend but Zac Purton, who partnered Sacred Elixir at the Brisbane winter carnival, is still in contention to be reunited with the son of Pour Moi in the Gr.1 VRC Derby.
Lane rode Sacred Elixir in the Caulfield Guineas when little went right for them.
"He was caught wide after a bumping duel at the start, over-raced and then took off before the corner and got lost around the bend," Pike said. – NZ Racing Desk.
The Cambridge three-year-old was among 60 horses to gallop during the Breakfast with the Best session on Tuesday morning ahead of his return for Saturday's Gr.2 Moonee Valley Vase.
"He worked over a mile on his own and was really relaxed," trainer Tony Pike said. "It gave him a good look around the track and in front of a mini race day crowd. There would have been between three to four thousand people there.
"He got a bit lost around the top bend, but he was better on the final turn."
Sacred Elixir will be stepping up to a middle distance for the first time on Saturday and he will race without blinkers, after travelling keenly when unplaced in the Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas.
"He doesn't need blinkers," Pike said. "He has only worn them to make him a bit sharper when he was racing over shorter distances. They first went on for the Karaka Million.
"He's probably good enough to win the race if he can get around the Valley. But it won't be easy for him and we will be happy as long as he relaxes in the run and hits the line strongly.
"His best runs have been on big tracks and I'm really looking forward to getting him to Flemington. We have always thought he was a stayer."
Melbourne jockey Damian Lane retains the ride this weekend but Zac Purton, who partnered Sacred Elixir at the Brisbane winter carnival, is still in contention to be reunited with the son of Pour Moi in the Gr.1 VRC Derby.
Lane rode Sacred Elixir in the Caulfield Guineas when little went right for them.
"He was caught wide after a bumping duel at the start, over-raced and then took off before the corner and got lost around the bend," Pike said. – NZ Racing Desk.