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Extra distance ideal for well-related 2YO

Wind Rush will head to Te Rapa on Saturday with the right pedigree and form to be a major player in the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre 2YO Stakes (1400m).The gelding is trained by Tony Pike and is by Almanzor out of the Fast ‘n’ Famous mare Our Famous Eve, who herself won the Gr.2 Japan Trophy (1600m) and placed at Group One level.Our Famous Eve has enjoyed further time in the spotlight recently through the deeds of Wind Rush’s full-brother Adam I Am, who showed Group One potentia...

Thooza shines on debut at Te Rapa

A pair of regally-bred fillies featured in the finish of the Cambridge Raceway 2YO (1200m) on Saturday at Te Rapa, with Thooza coming out on top on debut over Sister Cynane.Almanzor filly Thooza is out of Sea Goddess, the third foal of two-time Horse Of The Year heroine Seachange, while Sister Cynane, a daughter of I Am Invincible, was a $1.3million yearling purchase with the credentials of Group One-winning mare Prompt Response on her pedigree page.With two recent trial victories under her belt...

Fresh Impendabelle a threat in Cambridge Breeders’

Impendabelle proved herself at the highest-level last campaign, and the talented filly is poised to strike in a fresh state in Saturday’s Gr.3 Inglis Sales Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at Te Rapa.The daughter of Impending undoubtedly brings the most outstanding form to the three-year-old feature, having won the Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) as a two-year-old, and holding that form this season with a Gr.2 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) crown, and a pair of Group One placings in the ...

Investigate a genuine Championship contender

Up and coming staying prospect Investigate promises to give another bold account of himself at Ellerslie on Saturday in what is likely to be the final appearance of his current campaign.The Tony Pike-prepared son of Dundeel has relished the step up to middle distance racing and appeals as a leading chance in the Gr.3 Trelawney Stud Championship Stakes (2100m).He is one of a quartet of strong black type chances for Pike, who also has Lanikai in the three-year-old feature while Rudyard contests th...

Trentham track to favour Witz End

Tony Pike believes the big, roomy Trentham track will suit his promising three-year-old Witz End right down to the ground in Saturday’s Gr.2 Life Direct Wellington Guineas (1400m).Unbeaten in his first two starts, the Savabeel gelding’s picket fence form line came to an end last Friday when beaten by December on the tight-turning Taupo track over 1300m.“It was just disappointing having to take him to Taupo. He needed the run, but he is just such a big-actioned horse, he really got lost aro...

Hat Trick bowls them over at Ellerslie

Promising four-year-old Hat Trick proved he has plenty more to offer as he claimed his second victory from just three starts, with a stylish front-running performance to take out a Special Conditions Maiden contest over 1400m at Ellerslie. The statuesque son of Fastnet Rock kept rider Michael McNab on his toes throughout with some erratic behaviour, but when asked to focus his energies on his task he buckled down nicely to dash clear of his rivals in the home straight after setting his own ...

Proven Harlow Rocks gets the nod from trainer

Tony Pike has tipped Harlow Rocks as the stable’s best chance of stakes success at Taupo on Friday.The Cambridge trainer will be represented by the in-form Roc de Cambes filly and the promising Sign Of Peace in take two of the Gr.2 Little Avondale Lowland Stakes (2000m) following the abandonment of last week’s Hastings meeting.“That was very disappointing the other day, but they both need a lead-up to the New Zealand Oaks (Gr.1, 2400m) so we’ll head to Taupo and see how we go,” Pike sa...

Pike runners prepare for Derby challenge

Tony Pike certainly knows how to win a Derby, but the Cambridge trainer is taking a philosophical approach into this year’s edition.Pike has collected two Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) titles in recent years with Rangipo (2016) and Sherwood Forest (2020), and he will have two contenders in Saturday’s Trackside-sponsored edition at Ellerslie.One of his representatives in High Country, a son of Mongolian Khan, was runner-up in the Listed Gingernuts Salver (2100m) preceding fifth and sixth-pla...

Pike fillies ready to rock in Lowland

Harlow Rocks announced herself into the Oaks equation last-start behind Molly Bloom and won’t have the star filly to contend with in Wednesday’s Gr.2 Little Avondale Lowland Stakes (2100m) at Hastings.Under the care of Cambridge conditioner Tony Pike, Harlow Rocks was a gallant pacemaker in the Gr.2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic (2000m) on February 10, holding off her more favoured rivals, bar Molly Bloom, at the Te Rapa finishing post.The daughter of Roc De Cambes will line-up ...

Young stablemates in fine fettle for features

Two younger members of Tony Pike’s team will spearhead the stable’s representation at Matamata with higher honours beckoning the duo if they race up to expectations.The Cambridge trainer will chase a two-year-old feature double on Saturday with Archaic Smile in the Gr.2 J Swap Contractors Ltd Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) and Poetic Champion in the Gr.2 Fairview Matamata Slipper (1200m).Archaic Smile was a debut fifth at Te Rapa before she trekked south to win at Otaki in November and ...

Pike fillies show class in Te Rapa features

Tony Pike’s classy pair of Harlow Rocks and Vera Rose put their hands up for loftier targets after playing the bridesmaid role at Te Rapa on Saturday.Harlow Rocks, a daughter of Roc De Cambes, had shown early promise including a strong maiden victory in late November, before a switch to the right-handed track at Pukekohe was not to her liking in a first attempt at black-type on Boxing Day.Cambridge-based Pike opted to scratch the filly from the Listed Oaks Prelude (1800m) in deteriorating New ...

Pike dominates early stakes races at Trentham

Cambridge trainer Tony Pike made a flying start to racing at Trentham on Saturday when he produced the winners of the first two stakes races on a day featuring five black type events.Just one race after promising filly Archaic Smile dominated her two-year-old rivals in the Listed IRT Wellesley Stakes (1100m), underrated mare Churchillian produced a dogged effort to take out the Gr.3 Dixon & Dunlop Anniversary Handicap (1600m).Rider Lily Sutherland had the four-year-old daughter of Churchill ...

McNab claims another Wellesley on classy Pike filly

Victory in the Listed IRT Wellesley Stakes (1100m) is becoming a force of habit for Michael McNab as the northern hoop claimed a third-straight win in the two-year-old feature at Trentham with impressive filly Archaic Smile.McNab guided two classy juveniles to Wellesley glory in 2021 and 2022 with Hanalei and Codigo respectively, and on this occasion partnered with the Tony Pike-trained daughter of Saxon Warrior, who was having her third race-day appearance.After racing greenly on debut at Te Ra...

Pike hopeful for filly’s impending Group One

Impendabelle came ever so close to picking up a maiden Group One crown at Riccarton last November, and Tony Pike is hoping the filly can go one better in Saturday’s Gr.1 Cambridge Stud Levin Classic (1600m).Excusing her last-start seventh behind Pendragon in the Gr.2 Auckland Guineas (1400m) on Boxing Day, the daughter of Impending has been ultra-consistent through her three-year-old campaign and was only caught by Molly Bloom in the final strides of the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) t...

Impendabelle to tackle the boys in Auckland Guineas

Cambridge trainer Tony Pike has elected to pit his handy filly Impendabelle against the boys at Pukekohe on Boxing Day.A last start runner-up in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), Impendabelle will bypass her own sex in the Gr.2 Hallmark Stud Eight Carat Classic (1600m) in favour of dropping back to the more favourable 1400m of the Gr.2 Shaw’s Wire Ropes Auckland Guineas.Pike has been pleased with the way she has returned from her southern venture and said she has enjoyed some downtime...

Impendabelle wins dramatic Soliloquy

Classy filly Impendabelle is now a Group Two winner at the ages of both two and three, surviving a protest to take out a chaotic running of the Jamieson Park Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) at Pukekohe on Saturday.The $175,000 fillies’ feature brought together the majority of the leading contenders for next month’s Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton and was expected to clear up the classic picture. Instead, the race created more questions than it answered.The first 1000m of the race...

Cannon Hill takes the honours in dramatic Hastings opener

Livamol Classic Day at Hastings got off to an action-packed start on Saturday, with a dead heat and a protest before Cannon Hill was declared an outright winner of the Tims Construction Premier (1300m).The $65,000 race for three-year-olds was won by subsequent dual Oaks heroine Pennyweka last year, and the 2023 edition again attracted a talented line-up of promising youngsters that could be heading for bigger and better things later in the season.In the end it was dominated by Cambridge raiders ...

Poetic Champion produces outstanding first victory for Super Seth

Exciting two-year-old prospect Poetic Champion produced an emphatic first victory for young Waikato Stud stallion Super Seth at Hawera on Saturday.Prepared by Cambridge trainer Tony Pike, Poetic Champion exuded confidence in the birdcage before the 950m contest and he looked every part the professional from the jump, striding up to sit outside the leader and race-favourite Cognoscenti through the running.The imposing chestnut travelled seamlessly under a hold into the home straight and bounded t...

Te Rapa best option for smart filly Impendabelle

Hastings’ loss will be Te Rapa’s gain with the well-performed filly Impendabelle to now stay closer to home for her next step toward a Group One target.Trainer Tony Pike ruled out a start in Saturday’s Gr.2 AHD Animal Health – Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) due to the weather with the focus now turned to a day earlier and the age group event at Te Rapa.Currently sharing the fourth line of betting at $12 for the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), Impendabelle will make ...

Pike on weather watch

Cambridge trainer Tony Pike will have a number of runners heading to Tauranga and Rotorua this weekend, but he is wary of potential heavy rain headed for the regions.He will be represented by consistent four-year-old Churchillian at Tauranga on Saturday, the mare recording three wins from her seven starts and will be a key chance in a competitive Bayleys Bay of Plenty (1200m).“She ran well fresh up at Hastings in a very competitive field, she’s won at Tauranga before and she’s very genuine...

Cannon Hill fires at Matamata

Cambridge trainer Tony Pike enjoyed a raceday double with two promising types at Matamata on Wednesday, highlighted by tough three-year-old Cannon Hill scoring in a competitive age-group race.Pike was pleased to see his two progressive maideners breakthrough for their first victories at the Waikato venue, Cannon Hill displaying his respectable trial form to score in the Transport Mechanical Waharoa LTD 1200.The son of Ardrossan strode to the lead under Sam Spratt in the early stages and controll...

Impendabelle in prime order for Gold Trail test

Talented filly Impendabelle has enjoyed a faultless preparation ahead of her three-year-old debut at Hastings on Saturday.She will head a sizeable team of runners for trainer Tony Pike when she resumes in the Gr.3 HBPB Thoroughbred Breeders’ Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) off the back of a pair of pleasing lead-up trials.The Cambridge horseman will also have two representatives in the other age group feature with Overdrawn and Full Moon Fever to do battle in the Listed El Roca-Sir Colin Meads Troph...

Elemental scores impressive debut win

Cambridge trainer Tony Pike has revealed a promising spring hope at Avondale on Wednesday, with debutant Elemental producing an eye-catching victory in the Westbrook Wines Maiden 2YO&3YO (1400m).Premiership-leading jockey Michael McNab positioned the son of Ocean Park near the tail of the field down the back straight and once the three-year-old wound up at the 200m he was impressive to the line over a fast-finishing fellow debutant Danzino.“He won extremely well, we didn’t really want to...

Cheval D’Or takes out three-year-old feature at Pukekohe

In a race affected by the late scratching of pre-post favourite Desert Lightning due to the downgrade of the track to a Heavy 10 earlier in the day, it was consistent filly Cheval D’Or who mastered the testing conditions to take out the Gr.3 Trelawney Stud Championship Stakes (2100m) at Pukekohe.The half-sister to multiple Group One winning sprinter Bostonian, who had finished in the first four in all of her previous five starts without notching up a win, came in for some inspired late support...

Tutukaka bound for Singapore

Dual stakes winner Tutukaka has been sold with the well-related four-year-old to continue his career in Singapore.A half-brother to 14-time Group One winner Melody Belle, the son of Tavistock was successful three times for Cambridge trainer Tony Pike and has changed hands in a deal brokered by bloodstock agent Bevan Smith.“It’s a bit unfortunate with a horse like him, our lack of depth in handicap races has made it hard for him,” Pike said.“He won the Taupo Cup (2000m) off the minimum an...