Jimmy Orman concedes he ‘needs to get a wriggle on’ as William Pike surges clear in national jockey premiership
Jimmy Orman went to extreme lengths last year when he just missed out in the national jockeys premiership, but he’s taking a different mindset in his pursuit of William Pike this time around.
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Jimmy Orman travelled far and wide in search of the national jockeys premiership a year ago, however you won’t see him putting in the same kilometres this time around as he attempts to reel in tearaway leader William Pike in a week.
The champion Brisbane-based jockey rode at Rockhampton, Ballina, Gatton, Ipswich, Toowoomba, Sunshine Coast and Brisbane in the dying days of the season last year, however he said what will be, will be, this time around.
Orman sits 10 wins off Pike, who has been on a tear in West Australia, and admits he “needs to get a wriggle on” if he is going to win, but is not too fussed if he can’t catch him.
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Last year it was Aaron Bullock who pipped Orman after riding 10 winners in the last three days of the season and the Queenslander will need to pull a similar feat to beat Pike this time around.
“I don’t think I can get him (Pike), he is a fair few in front,” Orman said of the 10-win margin.
“If I’m going to get him I’d need to get a fairly big wriggle on.
“It’s not over yet, but there is a fair bit of work to do.
“I won’t be doing what I did last year, going up to Toowoomba on the Saturday night and all those things last year, we will see how it plays out.”
Orman is typically relaxed about the situation, saying he isn’t too fussed if he misses out for the second year in a row.
Set for another season with more than 160 winners, Orman is still thrilled with his haul, even if it is well shy of the 201 mark he set last year.
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“If I win it, I win it, if I don’t, I don’t, I won’t be doing what I did last year that’s for sure,” he said.
“It hasn’t been as good as last season, I’m 40-odd short if what we did then, but it has still been a super season, I have been really happy with it.
“I just came back from two suspensions, I’m back fully now so I’m keen to get stuck in.”
Orman will have one ride at Gatton on Thursday for his mother Caroline Allardyce before riding at Doomben on Saturday.
Originally published as Jimmy Orman concedes he ‘needs to get a wriggle on’ as William Pike surges clear in national jockey premiership
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