Cambridge trainer Tony Pike expects Sacred Shot to be competitive in some serious staying races next season.

He holds the son of Savabeel in high regard and he is confident the gelding will make his mark in top company in time.

“He’s a really progressive horse and we think he is well above average, very talented,” Pike said.

Sacred Shot has been a late starter, but he is quickly making up for lost time and at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day he won for the second time in four appearances for owners Raffles Racing.

“Unfortunately, he missed almost all of his three-year-old season through injury but we believe he will develop into a pretty serious racehorse,” Pike said.

“It’s about picking and choosing the best money races on the way through the grades and we might look at Brisbane a bit later on and hopefully he will be a cup horse next season.”

Sacred Shot settled off the pace on Sunday and his supporters had an anxious time nearing the home bend.

“He didn’t get all favours in the run and he had horses coming back on to him from the 1200 to the turn,” Pike said

“Once he got out I knew he was good enough to pick them up and he won quite comfortably in the end.”

As soon as rider Leith Innes found clear air with Sacred Shot, the gelding lengthened stride impressively for a comfortable win at his middle distance debut.

“It was a rough race, but once he got out he put paid to them pretty quickly,” Innes said.