Group 1 race or $5 million race?
Why not?
This is what Wizard Willie Pike thinks about as the elite jockey gears up for what could be a huge seven days with Group 1 winner Peter and Paul Snowden filly Shiza Belter.
The WA-owned three-year-old filly has a $14 chance to win Saturday’s $600,000 Coolmore Classic at Rosehill, but there could be even bigger fish in the Valley next Saturday – financially.
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Wednesday night Shiza Belter snuck in $5 million All-Star Mile field with news that Tuvalu was suffering from a lung infection and did not want to take his place.
Pike has always been confident that his filly will get a start in a rich race, and so riding, which has mostly been riding in Western Australia of late, is poised to capitalize.
Pike won the 2020 All-Star Mile at Regal Power and aims to be the first jockey to win the race twice.
“I won the (All-Star Mile) a few years ago with the Regal Power and I certainly think this filly will be very competitive,” Pike said.
“I think she will do a really good run at Coolmore on Saturday and if she pulls up well, that would be the perfect entry to the All-Star Mile.
“I think we’re a bit under the radar and that’s fine with me.”
Shiza Belter was a brilliant Group 1 JJ Atkins winner during last year’s Queensland Winter Carnival.
Last November she won the Group 2 Hot Danish Stakes at Rosehill and this time she had excuses as she placed seventh in the Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes and eighth in the Group 1 Surround Stakes.
“She was a little close to the first start, and I’m the first to admit that I didn’t ride her very well in the last start, but she finished brilliantly,” Pike said.
“Peter and Paul Snowden have done a great job with her and the owners have been very loyal to me so I hope I can repay their faith in the next two starts.”
TAB has Shiza Belter as a $26 chance on their All-Star Mile market.
Originally published as Willie Pike can spend seven lucrative days with Shiza Belter at Coolmore Classic and All-Star Mile.