Jim Pike (jockey)

{{Short description|Australian jockey (1892–1969)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}} {{Use Australian English|date=June 2014}} {{Infobox sportsperson | name = Jim Pike | birth_name = James Edward Pike | nickname = The Master | image = Jim Pike 1935.jpg | caption = Pike in 1935 | nationality = Australian | birth_date = {{birth date|1892|09|04|df=y}} | birth_place = The Junction, New South Wales, Australia | death_date = {{death date and age|1969|10|07|1892|09|04|df=y}} | death_place = Bondi, New South Wales, Australia | occupation = Jockey }} '''James Edward Pike''' (4 September 1892 − 7 October 1969), also nicknamed "'''The Master'''", was an Australian jockey who is best known for riding Phar Lap to victory in the 1930 Melbourne Cup.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.horsedirectory.com.au/racinghistory/jockey/profiles/james_pike.html|title=Horse Directory Australia – Racing History – Jockey Profiles – James Pike|website=horsedirectory.com.au}}</ref>

Pike was born on 4 September 1892 at Kemp Street, The Junction, New South Wales, a suburb of Newcastle. He was the eldest child of Charles and Jane Isabella Pike (née Liddell). He started his career as a jockey in 1907. He went to England the following year and competed in 17 races, winning 2 and 5 placings. Returning to Australia he won his first major race at 18 in the Victoria Derby in 1910 with Beverage.

Pike's first ride on Phar Lap was in the 1929 Victoria Derby, which they won by two lengths.<ref>{{cite news|title=Phar Lap's Victoria Derby, 1929|url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/racing/phar-laps-victoria-derby-1929-20051029-ge14zl.html|work=The Age|date=29 October 2005| first=Paul|last=Daffey}}</ref> The pair would combine to win 27 out of 30 races during their partnership,<ref>{{cite news|title=A champion jockey|url=https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/articles/2119|work=National Museum of Australia|date=| first=|last=}}</ref> which included two Cox Plates and a Melbourne Cup.<ref>{{cite news|title= Jim Pike, Jockey (1892-1969)|url=https://collections.museumsvictoria.com.au/articles/2119|work=|date=| first=|last=}}</ref>

Pike died in poverty on 7 October 1969, aged 77, at his home in Bondi and was cremated. He was survived by his wife as well as a son and a daughter.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/pike-james-edward-jim-8050|title=Australian Dictionary of Biography|first=John N.|last=Molony|publisher=National Centre of Biography, Australian National University|via=Australian Dictionary of Biography}}</ref>

Jim Pike is the great-great-grandfather of Western Australian champion jockey, William Pike.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kalminer.com.au/news/kalgoorlie-miner/pikes-brilliant-career-built-from-humble-beginnings-in-2002-c-12045329|title=Champion hoop’s humble start to riding career|date=3 October 2023|website=Kalgoorlie Miner}}</ref>

==Popular culture== In the 1983 feature film ''Phar Lap'', Pike was played by Australian actor James Steele.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086102/|title=Phar Lap|date=13 April 1984|publisher=IMDb}}</ref>

==Honours== In 2002, Pike was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110424212137/http://museumvictoria.com.au/collections/themes/2119/jim-pike-jockey-1892-1969 Jim Pike]</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.racingvictoria.com.au/the-sport/racing/australian-racing-museum/hall-of-fame/jockeys/jim-pike |title=Jockey Jim Pike |publisher=racingvictoria.com.au |access-date=30 July 2022 }}{{Dead link|date=February 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref>

== Image gallery == <gallery widths=200 heights=150>

File:Phar Lap.jpg|Jim Pike and Phar Lap at Flemington Racecourse, 1930. File:Peter Pan 1935 AJC Spring Stakes Jockey Jim Pike Trainer Frank McGrath.jpg|Jim Pike and Peter Pan at Randwick Racecourse, 1935. File:Gothic 1928 VATC Caulfield Stakes Jockey Jim Pike Trainer Lou Robertson.jpg|Jim Pike and Gothic at Caulfield Racecourse, 1928.

</gallery>

==References== {{Commons category}} {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pike, Jim}} Category:Australian jockeys Category:1892 births Category:1969 deaths Category:Australian Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame inductees Category:Sportspeople from Newcastle, New South Wales Category:Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductees Category:Sportsmen from New South Wales Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen