Willie Pike booked for 2020 Melbourne Cup ride

Image: Reg Ryan

William Pike will ride Steel Prince in the Melbourne Cup

Champion western Australian jockey and crowd favourite William Pike has secured a ride in Tuesday weeks Melbourne Cup at Flemington.

William Pike has originally been booked to ride the Rob Hickmott trained Schabau in the Cups however the horse failed in his attempt to make the two races prompting Pike to try and secure another mount in the $8m Melbourne Cup.

Trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman were quick to act on the star hoops absence in the race and have booked him to ride Geelong Cup winner Steel Prince in the race after the horse jumped up the order of entry and secured a spot in the Melbourne Cup field after Greg Carpenter penalised the stayer 1kg for his win.

Steel Prince has shortened from $61 into $26 for the 2020 Melbourne Cup and has come through his Geelong Cup win well.

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