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Syndicate Chasing William Pike For Magic Millions

3 minute read

A Queensland syndicate is chasing the services of phenomenal Perth jockey William Pike for the $10 million Magic Millions race meeting on the Gold Coast in January.

If Pike accepts it will be the first time the record-breaking jockey, with more than 2500 wins to his credit since he started his riding career 17 years ago, has ridden in Queensland.

Syndicators 2K Thoroughbreds have two bright contenders for the day’s richest races, the $2 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic and $2 million Magic Millions Guineas for three-year-olds, and want Pike riding their horses.

The 2YO Champagne Jet is trained by Toby Edmonds while Michael Nolan prepares the year older Unconditional for the syndicators.

William Pike
William Pike Picture: Racing and Sports

2K Thoroughbreds has contacted Pike’s riding agent Dale Verhagen about the record-breaking jockey being available for the Gold Coast meeting on January 12.

Verhagen said a Pinjarra meeting corresponds with the Gold Coast’s big day, raising the prospect that he will accept the Queensland offer.

“He’s be a good chance of riding there with a meeting at Pinjarra on the same day,” Verhagen told the West Australian.

“We’re pretty keen to do some riding for those owners.”

Champagne Jet is well placed on the Magic Millions Classic order of entry after a win on debut at the Sunshine Coast followed by a third at Doomben.

Unconditional has won two of his six starts and also ran third at Doomben last start but faces a bigger challenge to secure a start in the Magic Millions Guineas.

Pike’s record-breaking achievements in Perth have made him the most successful jockey in Australia by wins for the last three seasons, earning the 32-year-old who grew up in the WA mining town of Coolgardie a huge following among interstate punters.

He’s won 10 Perth premierships – still two shy of Paul Harvey’s record 12 titles - but it’s his winning strike rate since 2014 that has etched the Pike name in the record books.

He has been Australia’s leading jockey by wins for the last three seasons, winning the national premiership with 222 wins in 2015-16, 201 in 2016-17 and 203 last season.

By rights he should have bagged the national title four times in succession as he was leading the premiership with 134 wins in 2014-15 when he required a shoulder operation that ruled him out for last three months of that season.

He is well on his way to another national title this season with 91 wins on the board since August 1, 21 ahead of his closest rival Greg Ryan.


Racing and Sports

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