Sacred Elixir on target for Aust Derby

Sacred Elixir will head to Sydney for the Australian Derby without another run.

Trainer Tony Pike has ruled out the Rosehill Guineas for the gelding who finished fifth in last Saturday's NZ Derby won by Gingernuts.

The winner of the Group One J J Atkins Stakes in Brisbane last winter, Sacred Elixir ran second to Prized Icon in the Victoria Derby.

Pike was happy with his most recent performance.

"Obviously, we had a few question marks going into the race as to whether he'd come up quite as well as he had in Brisbane and Melbourne, but I couldn't fault him after the race," Pike told nzracing.co.

"He's on the way back up and if he pleases us in the next couple of weeks then he'll go straight to the ATC Derby.

"We probably won't run in the Rosehill Guineas. He's got plenty of mileage in his legs.

"We will give him an exhibition gallop or two and if we're happy he will fly to Sydney on the Monday before the Derby."

The Australian Derby (2400m) is at Randwick in April 1.