Sacred Elixir
Trish Dunell
Tony Pike will be forgiving if Sacred Elixir loses his unbeaten record in Australia on Saturday.
The Cambridge trainer produced the two-year-old for a first-up triumph in Queensland, but sees Saturday's Gr.2 Sires' Produce Stakes in a different light.
"That was a lovely race to have found for him on a big, roomy track at the Sunshine Coast and he's really thrived since then," Pike said.
"Saturday isn't D-Day for him and he's drawn wide over 1350 metres at Doomben, which isn't his ideal course.
"He will go back and will be relying on a really strong tempo. If he can get over the top of them and win it would be great, but as long as he is running on strongly we'll be happy and that will set him up for the Group One."
Sacred Elixir's main target is the J.J. Atkins Stakes over a mile at Eagle Farm on June 11, where stablemate Rangipo, who has come through his unplaced run in the Gr.3 Fred Best Classic well, will run in the Gr.2 Queensland Guineas.
"They were a bit too sharp for him over the 1350 and it wasn't a bad run in a hot field by any means," Pike said. "The mile will suit him better."
Pike is also looking forward to a Group One date on Saturday week with Ipswich winner Provocative in the Queensland Oaks.
"She's up to 19th in order of entry so we need one more to pull out," he said.
Stablemate Sacred Star will also step out at the meeting in the QTC Cup, a Group Two race that will determine his future programme.
"We'll decide after that whether we press on to the Stradbroke or keep him for a race like the Glasshouse Handicap," Pike said. – NZ Racing Desk.
The Cambridge trainer produced the two-year-old for a first-up triumph in Queensland, but sees Saturday's Gr.2 Sires' Produce Stakes in a different light.
"That was a lovely race to have found for him on a big, roomy track at the Sunshine Coast and he's really thrived since then," Pike said.
"Saturday isn't D-Day for him and he's drawn wide over 1350 metres at Doomben, which isn't his ideal course.
"He will go back and will be relying on a really strong tempo. If he can get over the top of them and win it would be great, but as long as he is running on strongly we'll be happy and that will set him up for the Group One."
Sacred Elixir's main target is the J.J. Atkins Stakes over a mile at Eagle Farm on June 11, where stablemate Rangipo, who has come through his unplaced run in the Gr.3 Fred Best Classic well, will run in the Gr.2 Queensland Guineas.
"They were a bit too sharp for him over the 1350 and it wasn't a bad run in a hot field by any means," Pike said. "The mile will suit him better."
Pike is also looking forward to a Group One date on Saturday week with Ipswich winner Provocative in the Queensland Oaks.
"She's up to 19th in order of entry so we need one more to pull out," he said.
Stablemate Sacred Star will also step out at the meeting in the QTC Cup, a Group Two race that will determine his future programme.
"We'll decide after that whether we press on to the Stradbroke or keep him for a race like the Glasshouse Handicap," Pike said. – NZ Racing Desk.
