[PHOTO: Western Racepix]
Oratorio three-year-old Influencing brought up back-to-back wins to kick off his preparation when taking out the Denise Trobe Handicap (1200m) at Ascot on Wednesday.
A first-up maiden winner at Pinjarra 10 days earlier, the gelding displayed progressiveness to step up in grade, rise 2kg and absorb a strong tempo to win nicely.
He was backed into $2.90 second favouritism prior to the jump and raced outside the speedy Exporose ($12) in running before hitting the lead passing the 200m mark and pulling away over the final stages to defeat race-favourite Bondi Plunge ($2.10) by a length.
Exporose stuck on for third place a further length-and-three quarters away.
Purchased for $60,000 at the 2022 Perth Magic Millions sale, the all-ladies-owned Influencing is a full brother to stablemate Defending and has taken a little while to mature but has now won two of his five career starts and accumulated $61,561 in stake earnings and Westspeed Platinum bonuses to date.
Pearce Racing has prepared 46 winners so far in the 2023/24 season – the second-highest tally in WA.
The stable will saddle-up Decoration at Pinjarra Park today before Saturday’s Bunbury Cup meeting where Black Fantasy and Queen Alina will line up in the $150,000 Listed feature, while stablemates Blue Rocket, Manavendra, Oly’s Choice and Defending will contest support races on the nine-event card.