[PHOTO: Kalgoorlie Boulder Racing Club]
Pearce Racing capped off a terrific 2022/23 season with a winning double and quinella from three starters at Kalgoorlie on Sunday.
Stablemates Galaxy Affair ($4.40) and Bird’s The Word ($2.35) finished one-two in the DWE Electrical Handicap (1300m) early in the day before Laughing Buddha ($2.60) brought up back-to-back wins in the Get To The 2023 Race Round Handicap (1760m) to close out the program.
Ridden by Natasha Faithfull, Galaxy Affair overcame a tough passage when posted three-wide and without cover for the majority of his race to land his second win from his past three starts.
The Merchant Navy three-year-old’s will to win was on full display as he raced past his rivals passing the 100m mark and pulled away to defeat Bird’s The Word by a three-quarter-length, with Time Scale ($6.50) a further half-length away in third place.
Galaxy Affair has now had 18 career starts for five wins, five second placings and $134,735 in stake earnings.
Faithfull was able to bring up the third leg of a treble in the saddle on the day when guiding Laughing Buddha to a soft victory in the final event of the meeting.
The Dissident three-year-old followed up his dominant three-and-a-half length win seven days prior with another convincing performance when muscling out from his leaders-back position in running and finishing strongly to win by more than a length on the line.
Kazkazi ($6.50) finished in second place, with Dancing Jack ($8) a further two lengths away in third.
Laughing Buddha has been a model of consistency in the Goldfields this campaign and his career record now extends to 11 starts for three wins, four minor placings and $48,197 in stake earnings.
Co-trainers Dan and Ben Pearce prepared a career-best 87 winners in the 2022/23 season, the third-highest tally in the state and placing the stable in the top 20 nationally.