Ridden by Tony Clark, he started poorly and fought his jockey's attempts to restrain him in the early stages but finished strongly and failed by only a head to overhaul the Dick Hern-trained Emmson.
[2] Sheriff's Star made his debut as a three-year-old in the Predominate Stakes (a recognised trial race for The Derby) over ten furlongs at Goodwood Racecourse.
He was restrained towards the back of the seven-runner field before making steady progress in the straight to finish second, beaten one and a half lengths by Minster Son.
He turned into the straight in fifth place before producing a sustained run, taking the lead inside the final furlong and winning by three-quarters of a length from the Luca Cumani-trained Polar Gap.
[8] In the Great Voltigeur Stakes at York Racecourse on 17 August, Sheriff's Star was matched against Insan, a colt who had been beaten a short head by Kahyasi in the Irish Derby.
After tracking Insan for most of the race, Sheriff's Star stayed on strongly in the straight to take the lead inside the final furlong and win by three-quarters of a length.
On his first appearance as a four-year-old, Sheriff's Star finished fourth behind Unfuwain in the Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket in May, seven lengths behind the winner.
[11] Three weeks later Sheriff's Star started 10/1 third favourite for the thirty-ninth running of Britain's most prestigious all-aged race, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot.