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Lightly raced staying prospect Sacred Rhythm put a disappointing last start performance well behind her when she produced a gritty victory to open the day at Awapuni on Saturday.

The four-year-old had wilted badly in stakes company over 2000m at Matamata at her last start when expected to be prominent after back-to-back victories leading into the race. Co-trainer Moira Murdoch took her home for a quick freshen up that paid dividends as she resumed with aplomb to down a handy line-up over 1550m in rating 85 company.

Rider Shaun McKay didn’t hesitate to place Sacred Rhythm outside the speed throughout after she made a good beginning from a wide barrier. McKay applied the pressure approaching the home turn before taking control at the top of the straight. Although briefly headed by southern raider Disturbance, Sacred Rhythm kept up a powerful gallop to hold out local runners Heavens Keep and Platinum Command in a driving finish.

“She’s a great beginner, sometimes to her detriment, but today she got across and relaxed nicely outside the speed,” said Murdoch, who prepares the Pentire mare with daughter Kieran.

“She’s a very tough mare and when she gets things right she is pretty hard to roll. The track was perfect for her.”

Murdoch indicated that a further attempt at stakes company in this campaign was a possibility for her charge, who has now won five of her 10 career starts.

“We’ll just keep pottering along,” she said.

“The Hawkes Bay Cup is an option, but we’ll just see how she pulls up and what her owners think.”

The Listed Hawkes Bay Gold Cup (2200m) will be run at Hastings on 14 April.

Sacred Rhythm is raced in the well known colours of her owners, Raffles Racing, who purchased her for $85,000 from the Rich Hill Stud draft during the Premier session of the 2015 National Yearling Sale at Karaka.