36-year-old David Pires has had a stellar year in 2017, riding 65 winners from 256 starts, at an incredible winning percentage of 26%. Successful in better then 1 in 4 rides, Pires is the Australian metro premier jockey in terms of strike rate, barring those that have had less then 4 starts this year.
Primarily riding at Hobart and Launceston, Pires has also claimed victory on board Tasmanian gallopers inter-state, including Count da Vinci in the Moe Cup, and defeating Ruettiger on board Lord da Vinci at Moonee Valley in June.
Just as impressive as his 26% winning percentage, the Tasmanian is also placing in over half of his rides in 2017, recording a further 73 minor places at 54%. Pires has been prolific at Hobart especially, notching up 31 wins from 95 starts in the last 12 months, being triumphant in nearly 1 in 3 races (32.6%).
To put in perspective Pires’ outstanding record for this year, he has a similar amount of wins to that of some of Australia’s best jockeys, in close to half as many starts. In comparison to Queensland gun Jim Byrne, David Pires has just two less wins, however from significantly less starts. Byrnes’ record for 2017 stands at 67 wins from 533 starts (12.6%), halving Pires strike rate.
David Pires has also had more wins this year then high-rated hoops Tye Angland (62 from 448), Blake Shinn (50 from 421), Jamie Kah (62 from 320), Corey Brown (44 from 443) and fellow Tasmanian Craig Newitt (43 from 389). He tops newly crowned world’s best Hugh Bowman for strike rate this year, who is riding at 20.7%, as well as the legend from the west William Pike (21.5%).
Forming an exceptional partnership, the Scott Brunton – David Pires trainer jockey combination has been lethal in the last 12 months, with Pires recording 47 victories for the Brunton stable in 162 starts (29%), in addition to a further 53 minor places (61.7). Pires has also done well for trainer Tegan Keys with 6 wins from 19 starts, close to a 1 in 3 strike rate.
David Pires has 4 rides at Launceston tonight including short favorite Mandela Effect for Scott Brunton in race 2. If your looking for a race to back the in-form rider in, according to the last 12 months its on a heavy track between 2000 and 2400m, starting from barrier 7-10 where quite interestingly, he’s had an average strike rate of 35% with these factors. #backpiresstartfires.
