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Can Tony Pike wind up winter with another winner?

3 July 2019

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By Glenn Davis

New Zealand’s Tony Pike finished the Brisbane winter carnival as the leading Group One winning trainer but he still has some unfinished business at Doomben on Saturday.

Pike won the Doomben 10,000 and Kingsford-Smith Cup with star sprinter The Bostonian during the winter which was dominated by Sydney’s mega stables, Godolphin ’s James Cumming and Chris Waller.

Pike had 28 starters during the carnival period which began with his first runner Intrigue who finished seventh in the Listed Gold Coast Bracelet on May 4.

Overall, he had five winners including his latest from Sacred Day who was ridden by apprentice Corey Bayliss at Doomben on June 19.

Pike and Bayliss will again team-up with Cyber Attack in the QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap (1350m).

Cyber Attack had drawn barrier 13 after failing at his only two Brisbane appearances.

A winner of four of his 12 starts in New Zealand, Cyber Attack made his Brisbane winter debut finishing seventh, less than three lengths behind the Team Snowden-trained Signore Fox in the Listed Daybreak Lover (1200m) at Eagle Farm on June 8.

At his most recent appearance, Cyber Attack failed to beat a runner home against his own age in a nine-horse field at Eagle Farm on June 22.

Cyber Attack was entered for the QTIS Three-Year-Old race at the Sunshine Coast last Saturday but Pike decided to scratch on a heavy track.

“If he brings his best form, he should go close,” Pike said.

“He was a bit tardy out of the barriers last start and lost his spot and ended up in a terrible position.

“Each time he’s had to come to the outside after he got too far back.

“He’s better off coming through the field.”

Pike has again put his faith in Bayliss who he rates highly.

“Corey is a very promising apprentice,” Pike said.

“I watched him at the start of the winter carnival so I put him on Sacred Day and he did a great job to win on him.

“Hopefully he can go two from two for me on Saturday.”

Cyber Attack will be Pike’s last runner in Queensland this winter but he intends to start Sacred Day in the Listed Grafton Cup next week before heading home.

“A couple of things didn’t go to plan but generally it’s been a solid carnival for us,” Pike said.

“We won $1.125 million in prizemoney so it’s been a worthwhile carnival.”

Racing Queensland webnews    July 3