PIKE BACK ON INSPIRATIONAL GIRL
Willie Pike might not be back riding in Western Australia anytime soon, but he will be hoping to help give the state a big Sydney Group 1 after he was confirmed as Inspirational Girl's rider in Saturday week's G1 Doncaster Handicap at Randwick.
In what will be his first ride for owner/breeder Bob Peters since January 25, Pike will ride the mare at the featherweight 51.5kg in the $3 million mile race.
"We've been together for nearly 20 years now, so it would be nice," Peters said on Wednesday of a potential Doncaster victory.
"The last time he rode for us was at a set of trials at Lark Hill. I remember I was down there, and I wished him luck and he was on his way.
"I think so (Pike will stay in Sydney). There's nothing to say that he can come back here at this time so he's got his mind around the fact that he could be there for a long time or maybe forever.
"He's had some good support from the Hawkes stable. I've been watching there. It'll take time as he gets used to the tracks and so on. But he'll get there."
Pike, 36, left WA with his family to move to Sydney after COVID-19 rules came into force in his home state to make it mandatory for participants to be double vaccinated.
Peters said he had no plans to install a No.1 jockey for his Perth stable.
He also said he chose the $3m Doncaster Handicap on April 2 for Inspirational Girl ahead of the $1m Queen Of The Turf Stakes over the same course for fillies and mares a week later for more reasons than the prizemoney.
"I think she'll never have a chance to get in at that weight again," he said of her 51.5kg. "I did think about it (Queen Of The Turf) but if she's going up there you might as well go for the big one, especially with that weight."
Inspirational Girl was out the back for much of the race in last week's All-Star Mile before finishing sixth and Peters said the race did not suit her once she missed the start.
"She missed the start and was on the outside and the race was a stop-and-start affair," he said. "She pulled up a bit here and there and got into a bit of trouble.
"I would have liked to see her finish a little better, but we'll see."
Inspirational Girl, who Pike rode to win the 2020 G1 Railway Stakes, is currently a $13 chance for the Doncaster with Sportsbet.
Story by Andrew Eddy for Racing.com