[PHOTO: Western Racepix]
Veteran gelding Outspoken Lad made a lengthy trek on the road worthwhile when taking out Saturday’s $60,000 TABtouch Carnarvon Cup (2000m).
The seven-year-old travelled 10 hours from Pearce Racing’s Karnup base for the feature event and was beautifully ridden by Austin Galati when scoring a career-best win.
Jumping a drifting $6.50 chance from barrier two, Outspoken Lad settled in sixth position through the early and middle stages of the race before working into proceedings from the 600m mark and being within striking distance turning for home.
Galati pressed the button on straightening and the big bay continued to lift over the final stages to hold off Lutz ($18) by a long head on the line, with Hafey ($3.30) a further three-quarter length away in third place.
Purchased by Pearce Racing for $60,000 at the 2020 Gold Coast Magic Millions Yearling Sale, Outspoken Lad has now had 35 career starts for six wins, 11 minor placings and $324,259 in total earnings.
The gelding put the writing on the wall for his Carnarvon Cup triumph with an encouraging runner-up finish on the Bunbury Fibre Sand on August 21 which gave co-trainers Daniel and Ben Pearce confidence to start him in the dirt track feature event.
The Pearce stable has prepared 14 winners in the first six weeks of the 2025/26 season, the most in WA, and will saddle up Desert Edge, Manhattan Strip, Celebrity Angel and Gingeriffic at Sunday’s Northam meeting.