Willie Pike takes road less travelled to Cox Plate glory
Willie Pike grew up never knowing the Cox Plate even existed. Now the champion jockey who thought he would be a miner is digging for gold in one of Australia’s greatest races.
SuperRacing
Don't miss out on the headlines from SuperRacing. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The Cox Plate is the dream for many jockeys but miner’s son Willie Pike had never even heard of the famous race when he cut his teeth riding in the Western Australian bush.
The man known as the “wizard”, who will ride Cox Plate fancy Arcadia Queen on Saturday, grew up in Coolgardie, an isolated outback town in WA’s goldfields.
His Dad was a rough-and-tumble miner and his Mum was a cleaner who worked three jobs to help put food on the table for Pike and his three siblings.
COX PLATE SWEEP: TAKE ON YOUR MATES
Pike always assumed he was going to spend his working life underground, following the family mining tradition, and there was little time for Cox Plate dreams.
“Even in my earliest riding career I was only ever worried about my own backyard, I was a bush jockey, my focus was on a Meekatharra Cup and for anyone who knows where that is they will get a laugh,” Pike told Racenet.
“I didn’t even know the Cox Plate existed.
“I stumbled into being a jockey, I never sat down and thought that could be a good career choice, I just gave it a go. If you asked me at that point I would have said I am going to be a miner, as that’s what we do.”
Pike may never have mined for gold but plenty he has touched has turned to gold in his three-month riding stint in Melbourne, recently enjoying a golden day when he rode four winners at Caulfield.
He pocketed his first two Group 1s in Victoria with triumphs aboard Ole Kirk in the Caulfield Guineas and Arcadia Queen, who surprised hot favourite Russian Camelot in the Caulfield Stakes.
Pike is now hot property in Melbourne as he prepares to ride $5.50 hope Arcadia Queen, the WA mare who has overcome feet problems to become a serious Cox Plate contender.
Podcast: Glen Boss reflects on the three stars he has ridden to Cox Plate triumphs
He now feels an enhanced sense of acceptance from the racing community and punting public after previous trips to Melbourne often did not produce the desired success.
Pike may be walking a bit taller after getting the Group 1 monkey off the back in Melbourne – but says it has never worried him how he is viewed by others.
“When I had that good day at Caulfield, I guess everyone noticed me a bit more,” Pike said.
“I suppose it meant that the people who already liked me like me more and the ones who don’t like me just stay quiet for five minutes.
“It doesn’t worry me but I’m glad I came here and had a good day like that for myself.
“One of the main reasons I am here in Melbourne is because my partner Jessica said it was too good an opportunity and I had to go, I was less keen on it than she was.”
Pike, who has now enjoyed more than a decade of dominance riding in WA, says he is unlikely to permanently relocate to Melbourne.
He enjoys the relative anonymity of living in Western Australia with his partner and kids Jett and Aspen.
But the freakishly talented hoop is keen to make future spring raids to Melbourne, especially if his main supporter, Arcadia Queen’s owner Bob Peters, has a promising crop of horses he wants the wizard to handle.
MORE RACING NEWS
O’Brien shakes off Camelot’s ‘overrated’ wide draw
Why Pakula backflipped on Cox Plate crowd plan
Zahra secures prized Melbourne Cup ride
Originally published as Willie Pike takes road less travelled to Cox Plate glory