Tony Pike will be represented in a number of the Champions Day features this Saturday, including the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m), the first top-flight appearance for his promising juvenile Lucy In The Sky.
The daughter of Hello Youmzain had a reputation before her debut at Ellerslie last month, and running as favourite she duly delivered, holding off a number of more-experienced rivals with authority. That performance was enough for Pike to return to the course for Saturday’s assignment, where a number of different juvenile form lines will come together for a shot at $550,000.
“She’s bounced through her run very well, she worked super this morning (Tuesday),” Pike said.
“She’s going into it only off one trial and one raceday start, but it was a smart field last-start and she couldn’t have been more impressive.
“If she improves off that, our two-year-old’s probably lack a little bit of depth this year, so even though it’s a big jump-up in class for her, she’s very progressive and deserves her chance.”
In the following event, ultra-consistent mare Acquarello will also make her first elite-level appearance, taking on the Gr.1 HKJC World Pool New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m). A Group Three winner in the spring, the imposing five-year-old continued that form into the new year, including an impressive last-start placing to Legarto in the Listed Lisa Chittick Champagne Stakes (1400m).
“She was great at Matamata in a very hot race, Legarto beat her that day and unfortunately we’ve got to take her on again on Saturday at weight-for-age,” Pike said.
“She’s come a long way this preparation and she’s in great form, she deserves her chance in the race after running a close second last-start. She’s another horse that makes her own luck, she’ll be in the race for a long way.”
While the Cambridge horseman will chase his first titles in the Sistema and Breeders’ Stakes, he is no stranger to the top-spot in the $1.25 million Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m), and he’ll have a two-pronged attack in this year’s edition.
Front-running grey Amazing Fluke and the promising OTI Racing-owned Golden Century will represent the stable, both coming through the traditional route of the Gr.2 Waikato Guineas (2000m) and Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m).
“Amazing Fluke’s run in the Avondale Guineas was a good performance, he’s still very much a work in progress but he got a nice soft time out in front and was only beaten a length or so,” Pike said.
“He deserves his chance in the Derby, he’s trained on well since and he’ll roll up near the speed. It’s a very wide-open Derby this year.
“Golden Century is going to be a lovely horse at some stage, I would’ve loved to have him for another preparation.
“His run was solid in the Avondale Guineas, he was strong through the line and was one of the last to pull up so I’ve got no doubt that he’ll run out the mile-and-a-half stronger than most. His racing manners still let him down a bit at this stage, but if he does everything right, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s right in the finish.”
The meeting will come to a close with the Windsor Park Stud 3YO Trophy (1500m), run to ensure the emergencies for the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) are ready to compete in the big dance if required. Pike has nominated Boss ‘N’ Highheels, Arundel Castle and Ziggy Stardust for the $100,000 event, with the first pair most likely to start.
“Arundel Castle resumed over 1200m and was a bit outpaced over the shorter trip, but got home very well late,” Pike said. “The 1500m will suit him and it’s just a tier down from our best three-year-old’s, so it looks like a nice race for him.
“Boss’N’Highheels was a bit unlucky at Matamata, the horse broke down in front of her and she just lost her momentum on the corner, so she’s run very well to finish fourth.”
Pike is looking forward to New Zealand’s biggest ever raceday, but back in the stable, the team farewelled a class mare as Impendabelle was retired from racing. A talent from day one, Impendabelle won her first start as a juvenile before taking out the Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m).
Returning at three, she went from strength-to-strength, winning the Gr.2 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) and placing in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m). She continued on to place in the Gr.3 Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), but niggling issues hindered her preparation this term, where she was performing below her best form.
“She’s been a great filly for the stable, she was super right through her three-year-old season and we just battled a few knee issues near the end of that season,” Pike said.
“We haven’t been able to get the best out of her at four because of that, but she was probably the second-best three-year-old filly in the country last season and is a lovely type, that will be a very good addition to any broodmare band.”
While one member departed, the recent rise in form of Slipper Island has been welcomed by Pike, collecting his second-straight victory with an explosive display down the chute at Trentham on Sunday.
“He seems to love the Wellington straight-six, he’s had three wins from four runs down there now and a second,” Pike said.
“He’s been a bit of a heartbreak for the owners, so it’s great to see him put a couple of wins together and ridden that way, he’s quite effective down the chute over 1200m. He’ll probably head back down there in four weeks’ time on Sires’ Produce Day for a 75 1200m, he’s going really well.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
