Doomben targets for Pike duo
In what has been a frustrating month for injured trainer Tony Pike, he may finally be able to head to Queensland to watch a couple of his in-form stable runners compete at Doomben this weekend.
The Cambridge conditioner’s stable has been in great form in Australia, but Pike has been stuck at home waiting for surgery on his broken wrist.
“I had surgery on Tuesday morning, I got a couple of plates inserted,” he said. “It’s just a bit more frustrating than anything else, it’s going to take three-months for it to come right.
“I’ve got it in a back slab at the moment and will probably get a full cast on it in about three weeks’ time. “I can still fly at the moment, so I will probably head back over for this weekend possibly.”
Pike is looking to Saturday’s Doomben meeting for last-start Listed Day Break Lover (1200m) winner The Bostonian as a lead-up to the Listed Sunshine Coast Guineas (1600m) on June 30.
“It was a great effort to beat the Australian sprinters fresh-up, so he’ll take plenty of improvement from that,” Pike said.
“There is a chance he could run this weekend over 1350m at Doomben. As long as he runs well in that he could possibly back-up in the Sunshine Coast Guineas at the end of the month.”
Another of his stable runners that is being set on the same course is Sacred Rebel, who also won first-up in his Queensland campaign last-start, although his path is less certain.
“There is a question mark to whether he will make the field because of his prizemoney, but if he makes the field on Saturday he will definitely run there at Doomben and then hopefully into the Guineas as well.”
Meanwhile, stablemate Terra Sancta ended her Queensland campaign on a winning note at the Sunshine Coast a week ago, taking her campaign tally to three wins from four starts, with her only defeat coming in the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) where she finished sixth.
“I’m really pleased with her last win, it’s a shame she didn’t get into the Derby, she had really improved over there and was a pretty dominant winner and beat a really nice horse in Remarkable Son.
“She’s heading the right way and obviously there is not much left for her there now so she’s enjoying a nice three to four week break in the Queensland sun before the rest of them come home.
“She’ll head to the nice staying races over here over Christmas and into the New Year.”