Serial thriller Rangipo saved his best for last when he closed out a remarkable campaign with a thrilling victory in the group BMW New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie.
It was the seventh success of his three-year-old preparation, which featured group two wins in the Great Northern, Waikato and Avondale Guineas and a group one placing in the Levin Classic in the lead-up to Saturday's classic triumph.
"It's a great thrill " it's one of the classics and I've won a 2000 Guineas (Sacred Falls), an Oaks (More Than Sacred) and now the Derby so I've got the treble," Pike said.
"It's such a hard race to win and you've got to keep them sound while giving them a fair bit of racing."
While it was a first Derby for Pike, Rangipo credited his regular rider Vinnie Colgan with his sixth after past wins with Roysyn (1995), Zonda (1997), Hades (1999), Redoute's Dancer (2007) and Habibi (2013).