Pike has options
Cambridge trainer Tony Pike has a few races in consideration for smart two-year-old Not An Option.
The winner of his only raceday start at Counties, Not An Option won a trial at Cambridge on Tuesday over 800m and looks one of the early lamplighters amongst the juvenile division. “I was really happy with his trial,” Pike said. “Obviously, the first time he trialled back in August he was a bit fired up on the speed but won. Then he lead on the fence on raceday and didn’t learn a lot so I thought we would ride him in behind the pace on Tuesday. “He relaxed pretty nicely, almost too well. “He has become a very relaxed colt, which is good to see going forward. “He showed a really good turn of foot when he did get clear to win quite comfortably. I was impressed with him.”
The Group 2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) at Trentham on December 7 is a possible target for the colt by Not A Single Doubt out of Group 2-winning mare Chintz, whom Pike also trained. “We are going to see how he pulls up. That’s in 10 days’ time which is going to come up quick enough but it looks like a nice race for him at Wellington. “His short term goal will be the Eclipse Stakes (Group 2, 1200m) on New Year’s Day into the Karaka Million (RL, 1200m). It is probably just finding a link run that is best suitable in between.”
Meanwhile, Group 2-placed four-year-old Intrigue will contest Saturday’s Group 3 Eagle Technology Stakes (1600m) at Ellerslie, where she will carry 53kgs. “She’ll run on Saturday and gets in on a light weight and it’s a small field. She has come up really well this preparation but she might just prefer getting to 2000m. We’ve kept her nice and fresh for this race and based on her trackwork she should run a pretty bold race on Saturday.
“Mark (Wyborn, part-owner) is very keen on racing her in Australia so I said we want to get some prizemoney in the bank and get her rating up before we look at heading that way. “Depending on what she does at her next couple of starts, I will be sitting down with Mark to discuss whether she stays here in New Zealand or whether we take her to Australia for a couple of Country Cups or something along those lines.”