William Pike suspended from Australian Cup

Leading West Australian jockey William Pike has been suspended for careless riding aboard So Si Bon in the Australian Cup at Flemington.

Racing Victoria stewards suspended Pike for eight meetings which will start after the jockey rides in stakes races at Ascot next Saturday with a return date of March 24.

He rides at Morphettville on Monday where his book includes Top Of The Range in the Adelaide Cup.

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Pike was angling for a seven meeting suspension to enable him to ride in the Group Three Gimcrack Stakes at Ascot on March 23.

While stewards rated the interference, where Pike shifted out aboard So Si Bon on to Muntahaa at the 450m mark to be in the low range, they took into account it was a Group One race.

Stewards reported the Liam Howley-trained Melbourne Cup winner Rekindling had a slow post-race recovery with stablemate Almandin requiring a veterinary certificate after suffering exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage.

Unplaced $1.65 favourite Alvius received an ulcerated right eye during the race.