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Pike-trained Khufu sparkles in Cambridge trial
Trainer Tony Pike looks to have a very smart juvenile on his hands in the shape of Khufu (American Pharoah) who posted a very impressive barrier trial at Cambridge on Tuesday and he will now be aimed at gaining at berth in the Karaka Million 2YO (RL, 1200m).
Jumping straight to the front in Tuesday’s trial on the polytrack, Khufu cruised to the line under jockey Michael McNab, eight and three-quarter lengths ahead of a gelding by Echoes Of Heaven (Encosta De Lago), stopping the clock at 45.14 seconds - the quickest time of the morning.
“We will just see how things go over the next couple of days, but there are probably four options with him,” Pike said.
“He could go to the Eclipse Stakes or he could kick off at Taranaki, Te Aroha or just have the one run and hope he wins it at Ellerslie a fortnight out from the Karaka Million.
“That little hiccup there for a couple of weeks put us on the backfoot timewise but that trial will clean him up nicely.
“He was pretty professional today. He jumped a lot cleaner than he normally has, travelled well and it was encouraging.
“The aim is to get him to the Karaka Million, but he is a very talented horse as well and I don’t want to destroy him just to get him there for the sake of one race. He will tell us in the next few days whether or not we’re going to get there.”
Purchased by his trainer for NZ$150,000 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock National Karaka Yearling Sale, the colt is out of Listed winner Strada Cavallo (Alamosa), who finished second in the New Zealand 1,000 Guineas (Gr 1, 1600m).
Further afield the colt hails from the same family as Listed scorer Pennacchio (Align) - the dam of Full Of Beauty (Darci Brahma), who landed the National Day Cup (Gr 3, 1000m) in 2019.