Star jockey William Pike open to future “fly in, fly out” riding missions after another successful Melbourne campaign

Flavour of the weekend William Pike is keen to do more “fly in, fly out” Melbourne riding missions.

The star jockey returned to Perth on Sunday after a profitable 48 hours on the east coast, winning five of seven races contested, including the Group 1 William Reid Stakes and Mornington Cup.

Pike‘s winners and a close second, which denied the ’Wizard of the West’ a chance to ride all four legs of the Mornington quadrella, amassed $795,500 prizemoney for connections.

The short getaway therefore netted the self-anointed “sore loser” $39,775 in percentages before tax and expenses.

Jockeys are entitled to five per cent of prizemoney their mounts win.

“I was hoping to be a fly in fly out jockey,” Pike said.

“Maybe I can get back to a little more of that.

“I’ve got a few assignments at home now, so no immediate plans to come back east for a while.”

The “assignments” include winning the WA Oaks on Saturday at Ascot and the WATC Derby on April 10 in the famous cerise and white silks of leviathan West Australian owner-breeder Bob Peters.

Pike hopes to be back in Melbourne for the spring, should Peters, as he has done in recent years, assemble a “group of horses” for the carnival.

The “ideal” scenario last year allowed Pike to form a successful combination with Team Hawkes, when not required to ride Peters’ horses.

The Hawkes-Pike relationship blossomed, with eight wins and six minor placings from 23 starts, including two Group 1s, a Group 2, a Group 3 and the Mornington Cup.

While appreciative of the tongue-in-cheek television declaration by Wayne Hawkes to keep him in Melbourne, Pike pledged his allegiance to Peters and returning “home” to Perth.

“He (Peters) knows I’m coming home trying to win some big races,” Pike said.

“Team Hawkes has given me support, how lucky am I to step into that role, to be given a bone off of them, it definitely made my stay a whole lot more bearable being able to sit on some nice horses.”

Pike admitted to being frustrated by a rollercoaster autumn carnival, which saw him ride a heap of minor placings before a breakthrough win in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate when dead-heating aboard Celebrity Queen.

“I suppose it is only because I’m pretty spoiled, I’m used to winning a lot,” Pike said.

“I was pretty happy I was being competitive … but I’m a sore loser, second is the first one beat.”

Originally published asPerth ‘home’, but ‘Wizard’ Pike eyes future Melbourne raids

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