Champion trainer Laurie Laxon is calling upon Perth’s No 1 jockey William Pike for the ride aboard Lim’s Samurai in the $500,000 Group 1 Patron’s Bowl (1600m) next Sunday week.

With the previous jockeys booked on the Japanese-bred four-year-old all committed to other rides (Danny Beasley on Lim’s Cruiser and Manoel Nunes on Infantry), the veteran New Zealand handler, who recent announced he was calling time on his Singapore stint, would land himself a big catch if his request is approved by the Singapore licensing committee.

Pike is the tearaway leader (on 168 winners) in the Perth metropolitan log – more than 100 winners clear of second-placed Jarrad Noske - and all but home for a ninth title. Though the 31-year-old seldom travels, he did enjoy two successful Hong Kong stints in 2009 and 2012. The two-time Perth Cup and two-time WA Derby winner has, however, never ridden in Singapore.

 

Laxon’s assistant-trainer Shane Ellis, who hails from Perth, was the one who brought up Pike’s name as the hunt for a jockey for Lim’s Samurai started to go around in circles.

“Mick Dittman (racing manager for the Lim’s Stable) was like ‘yeah, he’s a champion jockey in Perth, we should get him’, and that was it,” said Ellis.

“William has dominated the Perth scene for many years and rode in Hong Kong with success. He’s a big name who will certainly give that day a bit of a buzz.

“We are looking into the paperwork, and hopefully, his application will get through. We’re trying to book a few more rides for William on Patron’s Bowl day.”

In the meantime, Laxon and Ellis are giving their second Patron’s Bowl runner, Mr Scorsese a last tune-up run this Friday. The Laxon duo would then both aim for the third Leg of the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge, the $1.15 million Group 1 Emirates Singapore Derby (2000m) on July 9.

It may came as a bit of a surprise Mr Scorsese is on the starting line-up of Friday’s $80,000 Class 3 race (1600m) when the Patron’s Bowl is only a little over a week away, but Ellis explained it was all part of the Pentire grey’s training programme.

With the 1400m journey of the first Leg, the Group 2 Stewards’ Cup (run and won by Alibi two weeks ago), always seen as too sharp for Mr Scorsese, the longer last two Legs had always been locked in as his two main targets.

Still, it has been almost a month since the Oscar Racing Stable’s galloper’s commanding win in a Class 3 race over 1600m on May 12, meaning he could head into the Patron’s Bowl slightly underdone – hence that last wind opener.

Ellis does not think the quick back-up is too big a deal. If anything that race will bring the Oscar Racing Stable-owned gelding on further.

“It’s only nine days later. That’s all right, it’s been done before, like Laurie won the Mackinnon Stakes and the Melbourne Cup three days later (with Empire Rose), didn’t he?” said Ellis.

“It was actually always the plan to give Mr Scorsese that last run before the Patron’s Bowl, just to get him rock-hard fit.

“Matthew Kellady rode him a treat at his last run. He’s got very good hands, Matty, and he’s going to ride him again this Friday.

“Fingers crossed, he goes okay and pulls up good. If all’s clear, he and Lim’s Samurai will then run in the Patron’s Bowl, and eventually the Derby. That’s the plan, anyway.”

Laxon, who has tentatively mentioned September as the cut-off point before he heads back to New Zealand to train exclusively for good friend Sir Peter Vela, will be aiming to add a fifth Patron’s Bowl to his illustrious roll of honour, but only the second as the second pin of the 4YO series and run over 1600m (Intercept in 2010). He boasts two Singapore Derbies with Dreyfuss (another Oscar) in 2004 and Top Spin (another Lim’s horse) in 2008.