Perth’s premier jockey William Pike will be free to ride on C.B. Cox Stakes – W.A. St Leger day at Ascot on Saturday but will miss the Group 2 $500,000 Golden River Developments Perth Cup (2400m) at Ascot on January 1 because of suspension.
Mr Moet is aiming for back to back wins in the CB Cox Stakes. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Pike was suspended for careless riding for causing interference at the 150m mark in the final race of the day last Saturday and was sent out by stewards for sixteen days.
The suspension has been set to commence at midnight on December 21, allowing Pike to ride on Saturday, but miss the all important Perth Cup meeting on New Year’s Day.
Pike will be riding Crumpet O’Reilly in the Listed $100,000 W.A. St Leger (2100m) with the pair lining up for their fifth straight win after the Adam Durrant trained four year old worked his way up through the classes.
And Pike will be sticking with Elite Belle in the Group 2 $250,000 LD Total – C.B. Cox Stakes (2100m) following the Grant Williams trained mare’s sixth to Ihtsahymn in the Group 1 $500,000 TAB Touch – Kingston Town Classic (1800m) at Ascot on December 7.
Durrant said that the O’Reilly four year old is a potential stayer of the future and an anticipated good showing over the 2100m of the St Leger will tempt Durrant to head for a cups program next year.
“Crumpet O’Reilly is a potential stayer and looks ready for longer journeys,” Durrant told The West Australian.
“He’s shaping as a cups horse.”
And word from the stable indicates that the four year is ready to step up to his toughest test to date, with stable foreman Jason Miller giving him the thumbs up.
“Crumpet O’Reilly is working well,” Miller said.
“We’re very happy with him and he’ll be a St Leger runner.”
Durrant will also saddle up Mr Moet who is searching for back to back wins in the in the Cox Stakes with Peter Hall to maintain his association with the six year old.
Hall has been aboard Mr Moet at his two previous starts when seventh to Luckygray in the Group 1 $1m Carlton Draught – Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot on November 23 followed by a fifth to Ihtsahymn in the Kingston Town Classic.
Luckygray’s fast finishing second in the Kingston Town Classic has seen him posted as the $3.70 favourite for the Cox Stakes with Mr Moet at $4.20 and Ihtsahymn on the third line of betting at $4.50 with Rohan marked as s $9 chance and Playing God at $14.
