Pike paving trusted path with Derby hope

[Wandering Eyes]

Tony Pike has used the Gr.2 Legacy Lodge Waikato Guineas (2000m) as a launchpad to Derby success on several occasions and he hopes to continue that trend with a pair of contenders on Saturday at Te Rapa.

The Cambridge horseman has won the three-year-old feature twice with Rangipo and Field Of Gold, the former going on to take out the $1 million Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m). The iconic race has been a long-term goal for Golden Century, a son of Pierro who was purchased by Australian syndicators OTI Racing after showing early promise.

While he is a maidener after four starts, Golden Century (NZ) (Pierro) hasn’t been out of the first three and came desperately close to winning the Listed Gingernuts Salver (2100m) at Ellerslie last month, missing the top spot by a nose to Mustang Morgan.

“He’s a progressive staying three-year-old, his racing manners have obviously let him down from time to time, but he’s improving with each run,” Pike said.

“That (Gingernuts) was his biggest test to date and he did very well, he’s improved again in his trackwork and I’m more than happy with him heading into Saturday. He’s got more improvement to come once he gets up to the mile and a half of the Derby, which he’s bred to do.”

Pike traditionally follows the route of Waikato into the Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m), run at Ellerslie on February 22, two weeks before the big dance on Champions Day.

“Generally, my Derby runners race in both, Rangipo and Sherwood Forest did that,” he said.

“At this stage, he’ll run on Saturday and then the Avondale Guineas, obviously it’s another look around Ellerslie as well before the grand final, which is always an advantage.”

Stablemate Amazing Fluke (The Autumn Sun) could stamp some Derby credentials of his own in the $275,000 contest, having collected his maiden before Christmas before finishing fourth when resuming at Tauranga last week.

“Saturday’s going to tell if the Derby is coming too soon for him,” Pike said.

“He’s a lovely big staying horse but we had to give him a short break after he won his maiden, he was fresh-up on the tight Tauranga track and it was a reasonable first-up run, he’ll take improvement from that.

“He is going to get to a reasonably high level, whether it’s this prep or not, we’ll find out on Saturday.”

A stacked Te Rapa card will also feature the $350,000 Sir Patrick Hogan Karāpiro Classic (1600m), a race for maideners at the start of the current racing season. Pike’s progressive galloper Lanikai (NZ) (Ocean Park) is eligible for the feature and comes into it in a rich vein of form, having won his second race last Saturday at New Plymouth.

“After he ran so well at Wellington for second, and it was a shame he didn’t win that day, we were worried that he may not make the field for this race, hence going to Taranaki last Saturday,” Pike said.

“He’s a lovely big striding horse so I thought Saturday’s win had plenty of merit, considering the tight track and the way the race was run.

“It’s not ideal backing up a week later, but he seems to have bounced through the run in great order and it’s a massive stake for this class of horse.”

Group One performer Impendabelle and last-start winner Slipper Island will complete Pike’s representatives in the Dr John South Memorial Vase (1200m).

Impendabelle (Impending) was a high-class three-year-old and enters a new preparation on Saturday after trialling at Pukekohe, while Slipper Island (No Nay Never) rewarded Pike for his faith with an impressive showing at Trentham on Cup Day.

“Slipper Island bounced through Trentham really well, he’s hopefully gained a fair bit of confidence from that and I do think he’s a much better horse left handed,” he said.

“He’s stepping up in grade to Rating 75, but he’s a horse that, although he’s been an enigma, we’ve always thought he had plenty of ability so hopefully he can go on with it and perform well.

“She (Impendabelle) trialled up really nicely, the 1200 may be a on the sharper side for her and she’ll be carrying a fair bit of weight, but it’s a nice race to get the preparation underway with.

“I think she’ll run a competitive race, obviously with improvement to come once she gets over further second-up.”

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