[PHOTO: Western Racepix]
Stablemates Pull The Trigger and Defending brought up a winning double for Pearce Racing at Geraldton on Sunday when finishing powerfully in their respective races.
Patronize three-year-old Pull The Trigger opened his winning account when backed into $1.50 favouritism in the Nexus Airlines – Your Local Airline Maiden (1400m) with Chris Parnham aboard.
The grey gelding settled in the box seat in running before peeling around heels into the clear on straightening and reeling in race-leader Struck By Luck ($8.50) to win by almost two lengths.
L’amour Esprit ($9) finished a three-quarter length away in third place.
Pull The Trigger brought solid metropolitan form into the assignment and has now had six career starts for a win and two minor placings.
Later in the day, the all-ladies-owned Defending ($1.85) broke through for his first win in more than 18 months when getting up in a driving finish to the Drennan & O’Malley Motors Handicap (1200m).
The Oratorio five-year-old settled rearwards and appeared to have a lot of work to do on straightening, however, Parnham extricated the gelding into the clear and he reeled off a slick 33:91 last 600m to arrive in time and score by a head.
Dream To Me ($5) finished a head second, with Three Sessions ($21) a further head way in third place.
Defending had nine months off between preparations due to injury but had been racing consistently well in the city prior to Sunday’s victory and relished the drop in grade.
He has now had 23 career starts for five wins, five minor placings and $178,100 in stake earnings and Westspeed Platinum bonuses.
Meanwhile, stablemates Decoration (second), Platinum Shot (second) and Madame Magic (third) placed in each of their respective races on the day.
The Pearce stable will be represented by Rainline, Mystery Bullet and Richanco at Pinjarra on Wednesday before Thursday’s Albany meeting where Lips Don’t Lie, Black Sands and Call Me Violet are engaged.