THE FORECAST: BEWARE THE KIWI

by Mick Sharkie
Gallops
21 June, 2024

Kiwi maestro Tony Pike is a trainer that knows a bit about a good horse, he knows when to bring them to Australia too.

Remember The Bostonian who went on a rampage through the Queensland carnival a few years back? He landed the Doomben 10,000 and the Kingsford Smith, while filly Provocative won the Queensland Oaks and Sared Elixir won the JJ Atkins Stakes.

Pike’s career strike rate is a very healthy 16%, but he’s shot as high as 24% back in 2018/19, that is absolutely ridiculous when you think about it; a quarter of his 336 runners that season won. You’re killing me Tony! That is madness!

Needless to say when T. Pike appears in an Australian form guide, you sit up and take notice. More so when he brings one horse across the ditch for a bog-standard three-year-old handicap at Flemington.

Even better again when the horse is named after legendary athlete Eliud Kipchoge. You’re not wasting a name like that on a horse that does not have above average ability, it’s a tip in itself.

So off to Flemington we go on Saturday with anticipation around ELIUD (Race 8 No. 5) who sits enticingly at $5.50 with Mintbet.

As Pike told Melbourne radio this week – I’m not bringing the horse across in the middle of winter for fun – in punt speak, that essentially means “get in the queue, this thing will stomp up.” I’m feeling Let It Ride vibes.

Away from our Kiwi friend, CRAIG goes around at rock bottom odds in the third after a desperately unlucky run last start at the track and distance. He’s short but should get the job done.

Up in Queensland the action shifts to flyblown historic lime kilns Ipswich where WATEGOS (R8 No. 7) and HEDGED (R5 No. 2) should both get the job done. Go and have a beer with Norm after the last – if the pub is still standing.