Cambridge trainer Tony Pike might be enjoying a purple patch across the Tasman, but on Wednesday he unearthed a filly on the home-front that looks destined to go to the upper grades.
Two-year-old filly Loire relished the Dead4 track presented at Hawke's Bay and closed from well-back in the field to win the Nufarm 2YO (1200m) impressively under a hold in the hands of jockey Michael McNab.
The daughter of Redoute's Choice is a half-sister to Group 1 winner A Touch Of Ruby and finished seventh on debut behind Avadane at Matamata, but showed her gears when successful at second time of asking. “We thought she'd get away a bit cleaner and we'd ride her positively, but Michael didn't panic, he elected to stay inside, and she bulldozed her way through. She is pretty classy,” Pike's racing manager Dean Williams said. “She is well-bred, and she has got the looks to match and now she is showing she has got the ability.”
Loire was bred by Trelawney Stud and is raced by principals Brent and Cherry Taylor in conjunction with their friend Kate Plaw of Takapoto Farm in Karapiro.
Pike's good run continued when Sacred Judgment took out the final event at Hawke's Bay, the Fruitfed Supplies (1300m) when leading throughout.