Tony Pike is making no secret of the high regard he holds for Riccarton debutante Sacred Quartz.
The Cambridge trainer will produce the Raffles Racing-owned Zoustar
three-year-old gelding in maiden company on Saturday, the first step on a path
he hopes will lead to success in November's Group I Al Basti Equiworld 2000
Guineas (1600m) at the same track."We've got a pretty high opinion of him. On paper, he's just a maiden having his first start, but we've got him down there early with a view to getting him to the 2000 Guineas," Pike said.
"He'll have this race and then run in a three-year-old race at Riccarton in two weeks and then the Barneswood Farm Stakes at Ashburton (on October 20) before going on to the Guineas."
Sacred Quartz was bought in Australia by Raffles Racing, plucked from the Edinburgh Park draft at Magic Millions for $200,000.
He is the first foal of stakes-winning Tale of the Cat (USA ) mare Calcatta, a daughter of stakes-winner Calchris, who is the dam of smart stakes-placed So You Think four year-old Calculated.
Raffles Racing have already enjoyed success with Zoustar sharing in the ownership of Golden Rose contender Lean Mean Machine.
