The youngest licensed trainer in the UK, Charlie Pike, has spoken of his excitement as he prepares to saddle Padraig Dawn (Saxon Warrior) in Saturday's Beftred 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, remarkably just four months after the 25-year-old sent out his first runner under Rules.
Speaking on a Zoom call organised by The Jockey Club on Thursday, Pike said, “There's a great buzz around the yard this week and I haven't really slept for the last week – I am just tossing and turning in the night!
“It's more excitement than anything. The nerves haven't really kicked in yet, but I'm sure they will come closer to Saturday. I am blessed with my head lad, Connor. Padraig Dawn is his pride and joy, so he's up there even more than I am checking in on him.”
Owned by Gary Gillies and Niall Keating, Padraig Dawn was the horse to provide Pike with his breakthrough victory when winning a novice event on his debut at Southwell in February, before following that effort with a narrow defeat in the Listed Burradon Stakes at Newcastle on Good Friday.
Asked when he thought Padraig Dawn might be something out of the ordinary, Pike said, “It was after Newcastle, really. On his debut, we were very impressed and thought we'd probably have a Listed horse. And the way he came out of the race, going into Newcastle, he just came alive.
“At Newcastle, when he finished second, kind of everything went wrong for him. But the way he finished off, I was very, very happy with him. I thought we've got a serious horse on our hands here. And again, coming out of the race – the way he took it and the way he's improved – it is nothing like I've seen before. The Guineas then seemed to be our natural progression, really.”
On Monday, the son of Saxon Warrior was supplemented at a cost of £30,000 in order to secure his place in the first British Classic of the season.
Pike continued, “After Newcastle, we mentioned it [supplementing Padraig Dawn for the 2,000 Guineas]. The more me, Gary and Niall spoke about it, it did seem like a good option for him. There was no persuading or having to convince anyone. Everyone was happy to go and pay the supplementary fee, so we put him in.
“At Newcastle, the way the race was run was definitely not in his favour. He showed signs of being a very nice horse and I think he probably got beat out of greenness that day, as well as there being no gallop for him. But he has definitely improved off the back of that.”
Asked what it will feel like to be in the parade ring alongside the likes of Aidan O'Brien and Charlie Appleby on Saturday, Pike added, “A privilege, if anything. They're the people that everyone looks up to. To be on the same field as them, I think that's a massive privilege.
“It's definitely a pinch me moment for me. It's a Classic. Obviously, Frankel winning the Guineas was amazing and, if we got our name on that list of winners, it would definitely be an amazing thing.”
After a brief riding career, Pike got the chance to train at the age of just 24 and felt it was too good an opportunity to turn down, having gained experience working for the likes of Jimmy Fox and Richard Hannon.
“I didn't have an awful lot of race rides and I was looking for the next stage in my career,” Pike explained. “It was always going to be within the racing industry.
“I spoke to Gary Gillies [owner of the historic Danebury Place Stables where Pike is based] for a while. Gary has a keen interest in racing and he was happy to take me on. That's led us to where we are now.”
He continued, “Slowly, a few more people are coming in. The Racing Club syndicates have a lot of horses with me as well. The majority of horses would have been Gary's, but now it's starting to pick up elsewhere.
“I think if you're given an opportunity like that, you have to take it with both hands. If I'd turned around and said, 'It's too soon', it might never happen again. I took the opportunity and ran with it.”
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
