William Pike tips, free form and betting for the 2017 WA Cup
THE WA Cup is the headline event in Perth this weekend and any east coaster who loves a punt knows a race on the western side of the country is where the real money is made.
A certain jockey by the name of William Pike rides winners for fun in Western Australia and has won many a punter stack loads of cash over the years, so we thought we would take a look at the full WA Cup card, and put together four of our best Willie Pike bets for the afternoon.
Race 1 – TABTouch Plate (1000m)
Danes Maree is Pike’s ride for the afternoon and is one the best bet on the card for us. In its debut two weeks ago the filly finished a respectable half length behind eventual winner Resistance.
Get The Vibe is the next best runner in the opener, but we think Danes Maree is a class above its rivals, and while the master-hoop is in the saddle, we do not see any other galloper troubling the two-year-old filly.
Race 1 tip: Danes Maree to win ($2.15) at CrownBet.com.au
Race 2 – Schweppes RS1MW (1400m)
The second of Pike’s best elects runs in the second race on the card.
Elegant Blast comes into the race carrying bottom weight, and has Pike onboard, which is a huge bonus. The filly is third up today and has previously placed at this point in its preparation. It will be hard to beat.
Tonkatuff is in decent form and will be the horse that goes closest to challenging Elegant Blast. The gelding has won two of its last five races and has only missed a placing once in its three race career over track and distance.
Race 2 tip: Elegant Blast to win ($2.30) at Sportsbet.com.au
Race 3 – Amelia Park BM64+ (1400m)
One Short is looking to back up its classy one length victory two weeks ago when first up. The three-year-old has a sensational place record of 56 percent. The gelding gets the perfect race to break through for the first time at the distance.
Top weight Wrinkly is the class runner in the field but carries 4kg more than its rivals into the race. The three-year-old has not missed a placing since the beginning of March and will be very hard to beat if it gets a good cart into the race from gate eight.
Either elect could win, but we are taking Wrinkly. It has the ability to progress through the grades and step up to much higher quality races than this.
Race 3 tip: Wrinkly to win (+600) at Ladbrokes.com.au
Race 4 – Point2 solutions RS1MW (1000m)
Remember Berlin is a quality horse that, at its best has the ability to smash this field. In its last six runs the four-year-old has not missed the quinella placings and has won three times in that time. The gelding has never missed a placing across the 1000m distance and will be the horse to beat.
Miss Somebody is a classy filly has missed the placings just once across its three race career over the course and distance. The Demerit progeny has not won this year but it has the skill set to bounce back on Saturday.
Mr Motown is a five-year-old that has a brilliant 23 percent winning record. Over the distance the gelding has won four races and at its best can take this race out.
Race 4 tip: Remember Berlin to win ($2.20) at Bet365.com
Race 5 – Yellowglen BM66+ (1600m)
Willie Pike takes the ride on Bollywood Blitz which should be the hardest horse to bet in the field. The five-year-old comes into the race third up where it has previously placed in the past and returns to a track where it has won half its races. Should be fighting out the finish.
Next best is bottom weight Minus Looks. The three-year-old looks to have a bright future ahead of it once it works out the rigours of racing. An awkward jump out cost it dearly last time out but it is back in class today and should be right in the mix.
Race 5 tip: Bollywood Blitz to win (+260) at Sportsbet.com.au
Race 6 – Diggers Cup BM78+ (1400m)
Variation is the standout performer in the sixth race on the card. The three-year-old has never missed a placing in its nine race career and is looking to win its fourth race in six starts. Unless something goes diabolically wrong the gelding will win this easily.
Settlers Creek is a well-experienced horse that has a great record across the course and distance. In its 12 race career the horse has won or placed in half of those starts. The gelding has the chance to back up its classy win two weeks ago.
Variation is one of our best bets of the day and we are struggling to mount a case as to how anything can beat it.
Race 6 tip: Variation to win ($2.25) at Sportsbet.com.au
Race 7 – RSLWA-Western Australian Cup BM83+ (3200m)
The feature race on the card is the WA Cup, which contains William Pike’s best ride of the day and the shortest price favourite at Ascot.
Dark Alert has a terrific win last time out at Pinjarra on April 9 and comes into this race as the clear top elect. The five-year-old is one of only two runners under double figures for the race, but is a class above its main rival in the market.
Zarantz is the next best horse in the field and the main hope of toppling Dark Alert. It needs to be at its absolute peak to trouble the Pike runner and nothing short of its top effort will see it competing alongside the Durrant and Miller runner.
Dark Alert is the justified shortest price elect of the day and should take out the Cup in a canter.
Race 7 tip: Dark Alert to win (-200) at WilliamHill.com.au
Race 8 – D’osogna Italian BM72+ (1200m)
An incredibly difficult race closes out the card on WA Cup day.
Furious Dame has been in decent form recently without making the elusive break through last preparation. Returns after four month lay off and a quality trial two weeks ago. The mare has won previously first up and will right in the mix.
Cuanzo is looking to break through for a win after placing third three times in a row. The gelding has previously won over the course and distance and will be in the frame at the finish if it can jump well from barrier one.
It would be remiss of us not to mention the final Pike runner, Profit Street. Resumes after a six month lay off where it has won twice and finished second twice across five starts first up. In a race where there is multiple chances and no clear stand out it looks like the best elect in the race.
Race 8 tip: Profit Street to win ($5) at Bet365.com
William Pike Multi
As always William Pike has a great card of runners in the west, and we have put together our four favourite Pike bets in a multi for the WA Cup card.
In race one and two Danes Maree ($2.15 at Crownbet.com.au) and Elegant Blast ($2.35) look to be safe bets, Dark Alert ($1.50) looks to be the best bet of the day, while Profit Street ($5 ) rounds out a four leg racing multi nicely at a decent price.
Multi return: $37.89 at Crownbet.com.au