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 Gr.1 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."