William Pike maintains faith in his Queen
Classy filly Yes Queen will present her Karrakatta Plate claims to champion jockey William Pike on Saturday, who has yet to lock away a ride in the Group 2 feature.
Yes Queen’s pride was pricked, and her Karrakatta Plate plans took a mini hit when she was beaten as hot favourite in the $125,000 Gimcrack Stakes (1000m).
Fighting it out for second after doing heavy work on pace, Yes Queen lowered her colours to Luana Miss, who replaced her at the top of Karrakatta Plate odds.
All the hype was on Yes Queen after her Crystal Slipper Stakes (1100m) win on debut last November and backed up by a scorching six length trial win leading in.
Pike is spoiled for Karrakatta Plate mounts this year, having combined recently with leading market fancies God’s Rapture, Snitzalatte, Elite Beau and She’s Hot.
Although it didn’t go to script in the Supremacy Stakes, Pike said Yes Queen was brave in defeat and his opinion of her was not dampened or lessened in any way.
If anything, they were only enhanced.
“I was still very happy with her,” Pike said on Tabradio.
“She still hung on and ran second and you could argue nothing went right.
“She jumped well and there was one with good speed that kicked underneath me.
“I was then just eye-balling another runner the whole way and to still hang on for second I think added merit to it.
“Other one-dimensional type of horses would have caved in and run last, and she didn’t, she stuck to her guns.
“I was really happy with it, I really thought she was going to compound and run worse than what she did.
“It’s up to the clever people with their stop watches whether they jump on or jump off, but I was happy with her.
“That run under her belt will do the world of good too and the edge will be off her.”
In Karrakatta future markets, Luana Miss, undefeated in two for trainer Trevor Andrews is $4.20.
Yes Queen is $4.40, Talkanco $4.80, God’s Rapture and She’s Hot $7, Snitzalatte $8.50 and Elite Beau $11.
*Existing customers only. 2nd Racing bet. Excl SA & WA. T’s & C’s apply. Gamble responsibly.
Imagine what you could be buying instead.
Set a deposit limit.
