Thema drucken
03.12.2019 12:17
|
William Pike has been described as being as reliable as a bank ATM: Back whatever he is on and collect. In Saturdays Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) in Perth, Western Australias premier jockey may validate the confidence of so many punters across the country yet again when he partners Perfect Reflection in the first feature of the citys Summer Racing Carnival at Perth.Now into the fourth month of the 2016-17 season, Pikes strike rate of 29.4 percent is as good as any jockey anywhere would imagine. Convert that to a run-rate and he would be knocking on the door of the Australian cricket team. For now, though, a second win in one of Perths toughest and most competitive races is where his mind is at with this $5.50 equal favourite.Im very much looking forward to riding her; she won the main lead-up race, the Lee Steere Classic [1400m, Group 2 on Nov. 5], and that was very good, Pike told ESPN of the four-year-old mares most recent performance.At the mile, I think it will be even better for her. And Ive got lucky with the [No. 2] barrier, too.The tougher Group 1 company may present another challenge, but the Grant and Alana Williams-trained mare stood up well enough to her first task at Group 3 level in Melbourne in February. Her third placing, beaten less than a length by Dont Doubt Mamma (twice a winner in Melbourne during the Spring Carnival) in The Vanity over 1400 metres at Flemington shouldnt be discounted.A blip on her record came when she finished well down the track in the Group 1 Australian Guineas (Flemington, 1600m) in March, but Pike says that it also shouldnt detract from assessing where she is currently at in her preparation.She went to Melbourne at the end of her campaign last time so it isnt fair to compare her then and now. She is a different horse now. With six Western Australian Derby trophies to his name, together with two Perth Cups, Pikes dominance of WA racing is most significantly stamped by his eight jockey premierships across the state.Pike broke a long-standing premiership record in the 2015-16 season with 118 winners in the Perth metropolitan area and more than 200 throughout Western Australia. Hes come a long way over a 16-year career, actually and figuratively.He grew up in the old gold mining town of Coolgardie, 550 kilometres east of Perth. Just as distant is his lineage to Hall of Fame jockey Jim Pike; the legendary rider of Phar Lap and a one- or two-degree relative of Williams grandfather. That association is more of a coincidence as a career in the racing saddle was never really on the radar for Willie.Not at all. My side of the family had nothing to do with racing. Id never been to a racecourse before I came to Perth and started my riding apprenticeship, the 30-year-old said.My uncle saw that I had always liked horses having done pony club and all of that sort of stuff and one day he said I want you to come and meet this person I know, referring to trainer Jack Cockell in Mundijong, situated 90 minutes south of Perth, and who became the WA champions mentor.The winners have kept rolling in. A riding-treble at Belmont last June was followed by a sextet of victories at Kalgoorlie in September. It all adds up to a list of profitable outings that any financial adviser would be more than proud of.But does being such a punters pal add to the pressure for an athlete still well in his prime, and did the prospect of smashing the local record result from a well laid plan?It did sort of just happen but a fair way out I still had my doubts, Pike said of his much lauded previous season. You have those patches where your form isnt so good, and at one point I was worried that I wouldnt even reach 100 [winners]. Somehow is then snowballed.Then they started saying that I was a chance to break the record. I didnt think that was going to happen but then I ended up putting a good margin on it. I did sort of just happen but definitely in between there are a lot of doubts.It all came about because I was able to stay out of the Stewards Room and from the ambulance, basically.Perhaps Pikes reliability emanates more from his attitude to race riding overall rather than just singling himself as a big race performer?Ive always just gone out and done my best no matter what the race is. My preparation for this Railway coming up is no different to any other that Ive ridden in. I want to win every race I go win, but I treat it like every other race just the same.I just want to do my best. I dont feel it [pressure] but sometimes when I go out on a short-priced horse -- and you know that its short because Im on it -- I feel like I want to do well for the punters, but it doesnt always happen.This Railway is a very hard race to win even if you have a good horse, and Im still going to need luck.Good luck, too, Willie. No doubt therell be plenty of others on the other side of the fence riding with you.Air Jordan 1 Sale . Most important, perhaps, it went off without a hitch. Organizers poked a little fun at the now-infamous opening ceremony gaffe that saw only four out of five snowflakes open up into rings, leaving the Olympics logo one ring short. Wholesale Shoes From China .C. - The Carolina Hurricanes have placed backup goalie Anton Khudobin on injured reserve with an unspecified lower-body injury. https://www.wholesaleshoesforcheap.com/ . "I was fortunate to play many years at this level with a great organization and unbelievable teammates," said Hejduk in a statement. Air Force 1 Sale . Bryzgalov stopped 25 shots on Saturday in the Oklahoma City Barons 4-1 victory over the Abbotsford Heat. The Oilers signed Bryzgalov to a one-year $2 million contract last Friday after shedding payroll by dealing defenceman Ladislav Smid to the Flames. Yeezy Sale . Tests earlier this week revealed a Grade 2 left hamstring strain for Sabathia, who was hurt in last Fridays start against San Francisco. Its an injury that will require about eight weeks to heal. He finished a disappointing campaign just 14-13 with a career-worst 4.STILLWATER, Okla. -- Jordan Sterns interception in the end zone on the final play, clinching Oklahoma States 43-37 victory over Kansas State, marked the second straight contest the Cowboys secondary came up with a crucial turnover with the game on the line, and highlighted the units strong play overall this season.While the passing defense for No. 17 Oklahoma State (7-2, 5-1 Big 12, No. 18 CFP) ranks fourth in the Big 12 and 80th overall in the nation (averaging 241 yards against), the squads ability to bend but not break, particularly late in close games, has been important to its success.Theyve gotten turnovers at key times, and when their backs were against the wall, theyve played pretty well in those possessions, coach Mike Gundy said of his secondary. We need more consistency throughout the middle part of the game, on normal down and distances -- 65 percent of the game is played under normal circumstances, so obviously, thats the majority. We need to play better in those situations. I think weve given up more big plays over the top than I would have wanted this year. If you eliminate some of those and play in the intermediate part of the field, weve been OK.Sterns interception on Saturday was OSUs 11th of the season, leading the Big 12 and tied for 22nd in the nation. Overall, the Cowboys have recorded 20 turnovers, most in the Big 12 and ninth in the country. They have forced at least one turnover in every game and have come up with 10 in the last four outings.A week earlier, in a 37-20 win over then-No. 10 West Virginia, Oklahoma State recorded two second-half interceptions, including a crucial pick by linebacker Kevin Henry with 4:18 remaining that sealed the triumph. Together with a fumble recovery in the second quarter, the Cowboys totaled three turnovers in that game, with long returns giving the offense the ball inside the 10-yard line each time, and Oklahoma State scored 17 points off of them -- the final margin of victory.We practice it, and the more you practice something, the better youre going to be at it, linebacker Chad Whitener said of the emphasis on generating turnovers.dddddddddddd We work on it, we harp on it, we have goals for what we want to do turnover-wise.The secondary is led by Sterns, a senior safety who shares the team lead with cornerback Ramon Richards with three interceptions on the year and who has five in his career. Sterns also tops the squad with 60 tackles, and his average of 7.5 per game ranks sixth in the Big 12, while his career total of 284 sits fourth among active defensive backs from Power Five conferences.The unit will have its hands full Saturday, when the Cowboys host the high-powered aerial attack of Patrick Mahomes and Texas Tech (4-5, 2-4). Mahomes leads the nation with 3,886 passing yards this season, over 600 more than second-place Luke Falk of Washington State.Theyll be tested this weekend, thats for sure, Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Glenn Spencer said. Obviously, the amount of times theyre going to throw the ball will be the most of anybody weve seen this year. Between coverage when (Mahomes) scrambles and breaks the pocket, to yards after catch, all those factors, and then, if we have a chance to pick it, weve got to go up and get it. We got to steal a few possessions from these guys, some way, somehow.Gundy also cited pressure from the defensive line as a key to covering Mahomes and Texas Techs explosive offense.In playing these guys, you have to be sound in three-man, four-man and five-man pressure, in my opinion, and you have to be balanced in how you attack their offense, Gundy said. We have to be consistent in our pass rush. And we also have to understand that it may seem like your biological clock is going off as a pass-rusher, but it may not be over, with his ability to move around and extend plays. I think thats as important as any part in defending their offense with him at quarterback.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org ' ' ' |
|
Antworten
