Perth’s leading jockey William Pike is ready to return to Australia in two weeks when his three month contract expires after limited success riding in Hong Kong.

Pike returned to Hong Kong after riding there in the 2009-2010 season and took up a short term contract with the Hong Kong Jockey Club when South African rider Jeff Lloyd decided to move to the Gold Coast and take up duties with Patinack Farm.

An interrupted couple of months saw Pike only ride three winners due to being hit with two careless riding suspensions and he is keen to get back to Perth to wrap up the jockey’s premiership.

“I started great,” Pike said.

“The first time I went to Hong Kong it took me 10 meetings to ride my first winner.”

“I started really well, but copped two careless riding suspensions which cost me four meetings.”

“It also cost me a few winners as a couple of the horses won for other jockeys when I was out.”

“It is hard here as the trainers often expect you to commit to their horse three weeks out from a race.”

The top Western Australian jockey rode a winner at his third meeting with El Grande saluting then completed a double on Lifeline Elite and Newswire Too at Sha Tin the following meeting but then winners dried up.

When Pike left for Hong Kong he had ridden sixty-seven metropolitan winners and looked like having an unbeatable lead and even though Peter Knuckey has made ground, he is still thirteen winners behind Pike.

Pike has until the end of July to cement his third premiership in the last five years and then will welcome the arrival of his second child when his partner Jessica Valas is due to give birth next month.

Pike leaves behind him a talented contingent of Australian jockeys which sees Brett Prebble and Zac Purton battling out second and third positions on the jockeys table while Tye Angland and Tim Clark are making a huge impressions in the tough Hong Kong racing environment.