Images courtesy of Arrowfield Stud
And then there’s the matter of the youngster’s pedigree, which the Cambridge trainer has intimate knowledge of. About 20 years ago, Pike and his parents Wayne and Vicky bought the Imposing mare Seraphic (NZ) from Masterton breeder Ollie Goodwin.
Descendants of their initial purchase include G1 Auckland Cup winner Chenille (NZ) (Pentire {GB}), her half-sister Chintz (NZ) (Savabeel) is the dam of Not An Option's dam Chintz (NZ) (Savabeel).
Pike trained both Chenille and Chintz, who won the G2 Rich Hill Mile at Ellerslie, the G3 Westbury Classic and was twice placed at Group 1 level in the Easter H. and the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders S.
Tony Pike
"We bred and raced Chintz ourselves and sold her off the track to Newhaven Park," Pike said.
"They sent her to Snitzel and kept her first filly foal then sent her to Not A Single Doubt and on-sold her to Aquis.
"They sent her to Snitzel and kept her first filly foal then sent her to Not A Single Doubt and on-sold her to Aquis. “ – Tony Pike
“Mark Baker and Gordon Cunningham took a half share in the resulting colt and he went through the Curraghmore draft at Karaka, where we bought him."
Pike paid NZ$240,000 for the youngster, who is now raced by a partnership that includes Raffles Racing, Waikato Stud and Haunui Farm.
Not An Option was a comfortable debut winner in the spring and following a break and a trial win he returned in another blaze of glory at Trentham on Saturday to claim the G2 Platinum Homes Taranaki Wakefield Challenge S.
He settled well in fourth spot for rider Leith Innes, but when the two leaders got a break 300 metres from home they looked to be in a spot of bother.
Innes asked the colt for the supreme effort and he responded brilliantly to surge past his closest rivals and keep his unbeaten record intact.
Not An Option was in the care at Trentham of Pike employee and former top jockey Chris McNab, whose son Michael is now established as one of the country’s leading riders.
“The horse has never put a foot wrong and he’s ticked every box,” McNab said. “He relaxed well in his trial and did again here, because they didn’t go that hard, and he was very good in the last 200 metres.”
“The horse has never put a foot wrong and he’s ticked every box.” - Chris McNab
Pike said the gap of four weeks between the Wakefield S. and the G2 Barneswood Farm Eclipse S. at Ellerslie on New Year's Day was a tailor-made lead in to the Karaka Million three and a-half weeks later.
Pike's previous best result in the Karaka Million was a third placing in 2017 with Felton Road (NZ) (Pins) placing in 2017 and is bullish about Not An Option’s prospects.
"He's probably the best 2-year-old type I've had going toward the race,” he said. “Sacred Elixir ran fifth in his year, but he was more a stayer and just did that on ability. This bloke looks like my best chance yet."
Not An Option as a yearling
Power ‘N’ Glory (Power {GB}) enjoyed a good run at the head of affairs and he fought on strongly for second with the favourite Unition (Fastnet Rock), who sat on the leader’s quarters, claimed third after working early from the outside gate.
“He’s not a natural 2-year-old and is a lovely, scopey horse and very laid-back,” co-trainer Andrew Forsman said of Unition. “He’s got a lot of ability.”
