Viscount five-year-old Pushin’ Shapes will travel to the Goldfields tomorrow to tackle the $100,000 Hahn Electrical Coolgardie Cup.
The Oakland Park-bred gelding will be having his third start for the preparation following a luckless sixth-place finish at Belmont on August 12 before an improved fifth placing to Ragnar’s Saga at the same track on August 26 when carrying 59.5kg.
This year’s Narrogin Cup winner will drop five kilograms in tomorrow’s 1760m feature event and regular rider Joseph Azzopardi jumps back aboard for the first time this campaign.
The pair will have to overcome an awkward alley of barrier 11 in what is an incredibly even 15-horse field, however, trainers Ben and Daniel Pearce believe Pushin’ Shapes is closing in on peak fitness and has first-four claims.
The Pearce stable will also start Scandal Keeper gelding Churches in the Tom Cullen Memorial Maiden (1400m) at Kalgoorlie.
The four-year-old had his first start at Pinjarra on August 24 and was unable to secure clear running in the straight when sixth to Vega Dior, beaten just three-and-a-half lengths.
The gelding trialled well leading into his race debut and looks to have winning claims in tomorrow’s event.
William Pike retains the mount.
Pearce Racing will be looking to continue a promising start to the 2017/18 season where they trained nine winners in the first month, the most of any stable in the state.