Gold Coast a finely cut mission for Pike
Cambridge trainer Tony Pike is keen to run stakes performers Intrigue and Indecision at the Gold Coast on Saturday, but there is little room for error in terms of the travel arrangements.
Pike has seven horses set to fly to Brisbane from Auckland today and can ill afford any delays with the duo set to compete 24 hours later.
“The trip over is probably no different to going to Wellington for a meeting down there. It is probably easier,” Pike said.
“They will run on Saturday as long as the plane schedule goes to plan. I think they are due to arrive about 10.50am Queensland time. As long as all that goes to plan and they travel well and I am happy with them over night, then they will run on Saturday.
“We are staying at Eagle Farm which is quite handy as it is only 10 minutes from the airport.”
Pike has made no secret of the high regard in which he holds 3-year-old filly Intrigue, the winner of two of her five starts and a gallant runner-up last start in the Group 2 Championship Stakes (2100m) at Ellerslie.
The daughter of Showcasing will contest tomorrow’s Listed Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m) where banking some more prizemoney to ensure she gains a start in Queensland’s Classic races is the aim.
“It is probably not ideal coming back in trip from the 2100m, but it is the path over there and we need to get some prizemoney,” Pike said.
“As it is, she was lucky to get into the race as she was the last one on the list before the ballots.
“The way she travels in her races I’m not too worried [about coming back in distance). She almost got there too soon the other day at Ellerslie. She is going to start from seven of 14 which is probably ideal around the Coast.
“She is not a dour stayer. She will probably find a spot midfield, one off and it would just be nice if she could run in the top three to get enough prizemoney to guarantee an Oaks [Group 1, 2200m] start.”
Pike said depending on how Intrigue performs tomorrow, consideration would be given as to whether she contests the Group 3 The Roses (2000m) a fortnight later, while a tilt at the Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on June 8 was not out of the question, particularly given the Oaks is to be run at the tighter Doomben circuit over the nontraditional distance of 2200m.
“She probably will head to The Roses,” Pike said.
“It would give her an opportunity
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