[PHOTO: Western Racepix]
Pearce Racing celebrated a winning double, including a quinella, at Ascot on Saturday after Madame Magic and Richanco’s victories in their respective races.
Real Impact mare Madame Magic ($3.70) kicked the day off on the best note possible when breaking a 494-day winning drought in the Morely Growers Market Handicap (1400m).
Ridden by Clint Johnston-Porter, the five-year-old was having her second start back from a spell when settled three-back on the fence before bursting through an opening on straightening to finish strongly and win by a long neck.
She defeated stablemate Platinum Shot ($3) in a Pearce Racing quinella, with Bondi Plunge ($4.40) a further three-quarter length away in third place.
Madame Magic is a well-bred mare who obtained black type to further enhance her breeding value when placing in last year’s Listed Sheila Gwynne Stakes (1400m) and has now had 22 career starts for three wins, six minor placings and $129,572 in stake earnings.
Two races late Richanco ($3.20) made a brilliant return to racing when leading throughout in the Petaluma Handicap (1000m).
The Rich Enuff four-year-old bounced straight to the front under jockey Brad Parnham from barrier one and made every post a winner after giving a nice kick on straightening and extending late to beat Keep Ita Mystery ($4.80) by just under one-and-a-half lengths.
Tycoon Harry ($10) was a three-quarter length back in third place, with fellow Pearce-trained galloper Zing To Win ($26) a further length away in fourth.
The lightly-raced Richanco is the older half-brother of last Saturday’s Group 2 Karrakatta Plate winner Talkanco, also trained by Daniel and Ben Pearce, and is a progressive type who has now had eight career starts for four wins, three minor placings and $134,840 in total earnings.
The Pearce stable has prepared 57 winners in the 2024/25 season to date.