Sacred Star finished out of the money in the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham, but his performance encouraged trainer Tony Pike.

“He couldn’t get across and was flushed wide at the crossing,” he said. “He was closing off, there’s still life left in the old boy.”

Sacred Star will now be set for the Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa, a race he won in 2015