Pike and Nichols clean up at Karratha Signs Family Day in Roebourne

Trainer Tom Pike cleaned up as hundreds of Pilbara residents flocked to the Nor West Jockey Club for the highly anticipated return of crowds to the races after a COVID-19 interrupted 2020. Family Day took place on Sunday with six action-packed races, but the day belonged to Pike who secured a one-two finish in the day’s main race. Chris Nicoll rode War Ksar in the day’s main race, the Karratha Signs 1400m Handicap, and never looked in danger with the horse storming to victory by 1.3 lengths over Anvil Green, while Mybak took out third. Nicoll and Pike’s day started well in race one when Nicoll guided Mistinguette to victory in the round’s opening race with a 0.5 length gap to second-placed Articulator. Vicious Vilma rounded out the top three. An 1100m maiden followed with the four-year-old Enchanted Falls, ridden by Jerry Noske, taking out first place followed closely by Let Me Pass and Grey Galah. The third race was a 1600m handicap which Colin Haddon on the Pike-trained Weld timed his dash to the line perfectly to come home in first place by two lengths ahead of Rivarola and Victoriouschino. Haddon secured another win in race five when he edged out Chengdu in the 1100m classic by less than one length, with Bitovemu rounding out the top three. In the final race a 1200m class 3 handicap, Angela Johnston scored her first win of the day when she rode the six-year-old Lamplight Lili to victory over Miss Mandy in a photo finish. Designated Drinker came home third, with the top three separated by just half a length. The Roebourne race season continues with Ladies Day on Saturday, June 19.