Racing: Gold Coast a finely cut mission for Pike

Intrigue will contest tomorrow's Gold Coast Bracelet. Photo / Trish Dunell

Cambridge trainer Tony Pike is keen to run stakes performers Intrigue and Indecision at the Gold Coast tomorrow but there is little room for error in terms of the travel arrangements.

Pike has seven horses set to fly to Brisbane from Auckland today and can ill afford any delays with the duo set to compete 24 hours later.

"The trip over is probably no different to going to Wellington for a meeting down there. It is probably easier," Pike said.

"They will run on Saturday as long as the plane schedule goes to plan. I think they are due to arrive about 10.50am Queensland time. As long as all that goes to plan and they travel well and I am happy with them overnight, then they will run on Saturday.

"We are staying at Eagle Farm which is quite handy as it is only 10 minutes from the airport."

Pike has made no secret of the high regard in which he holds three-year-old filly Intrigue, the winner of two of her five starts and a gallant runner-up last start in the Gr.2 Championship Stakes (2100m) at Ellerslie.

The daughter of Showcasing will contest tomorrow's Listed Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m) where banking some more prize money to ensure she gains a start in Queensland's Classic races is the name of the game.

"It is probably not ideal coming back in trip from the 2100m, but it is the path over there and we need to get some prize money," Pike said.

"As it is, she was lucky to get into the race as she was the last one on the list before the ballots.

"The way she travels in her races I'm not too worried (about coming back in trip). She almost got there too soon the other day at Ellerslie. She is going to start from seven of 14 which is probably ideal around the Coast.

"She is not a dour stayer. She will probably find a spot midfield, one off and it would just be nice if she could run in the top three to get enough prize money to guarantee an Oaks (Gr.1, 2200m) start."

Pike said depending on how Intrigue performs tomorrow, consideration would be given as to whether she contests the Gr.3 The Roses (2000m) a fortnight later, while a tilt at the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on June 8 was not out of the question.

Like Intrigue, three-time Listed winner Indecision will be ridden by Leith Innes tomorrow and Pike believes the daughter of Per Incanto is well-placed to perform at her best fresh-up.

One of the horses in consideration to join the Queensland touring party is talented juvenile Whiskey Neat, the winner of two of three starts, who runs in tomorrow's Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre 2YO Stakes (1100m) at Te Rapa.

"He trialled well and there is probably a little bit of improvement in him fitness-wise," Pike said.

● Melbourne Cup winner Dunaden has died after a paddock accident at Overbury Stud in England aged 13.

Owned by Qatar Racing, Dunaden won the 2011 Melbourne Cup for Sheikh Fahad Al Thani and returned to Australia the next year to claim the Caulfield Cup.

- NZ Racing Desk