Pearce Racing prepared two winners and two narrow runner-up finishes from its four runners at Ascot on Saturday, including Dig Deep taking out the Listed Seacorp Grandstand Cup (1500m).
Stablemate Pletto got the day off to the best way possible when justifying her $2.10 favouritism by taking out the opening event of the card, the Crown Perth Westspeed Platinum Handicap (1400m), with Brad Rawiller aboard.
The lightly-raced Playing God five-year-old had been bursting to win a race after being the victim of bad race luck all preparation, however, she was given the run of the race by Rawiller from barrier one before working into the clear and running down Bruce Almighty ($3.90) by a head.
Pletto is a talented mare who is yet to miss the money from her 12 race starts, having now recorded four wins, eight minor placings and more than $100,000 in stake earnings.
The following race saw recent stable acquisition Allmamoney ($18 to $8), a last-start maiden winner at her first start for the Pearce stable, rocket home to finish second to Magical Dream ($3.40) by a head in the Neometals Handicap (1400m).
Ridden by Clint Johnston-Porter, the Al Maher three-year-old settled at the rear of the seven-horse field before flashing late in an eye-catching finish to stake her claim as a progressive Saturday type.
Meanwhile, former Group 2 Karrakatta Plate winner Dig Deep scored his third win from his past five starts when landing good bets in his Grandstand Cup triumph.
Now a four-year-old, the Deep Field gelding was backed from $7 into $3.90 favouritism at the jump and was given a perfect ride by Johnston-Porter after jumping from barrier two.
Initially settled in the box seat, Johnston-Porter peeled Dig Deep off the rail approaching the home turn before bursting through an opening to hit the front within a matter of strides on straightening and then doing enough to hold off the fast-finishing Samizdat ($6.50) by a neck.
Dig Deep has now raced 17 times for five wins, four minor placings and $533,235 in total earnings.
Lastly, tough two-year-old Policiere ($6.50) went desperately close to pulling off a winning treble for the stable when finishing a brave second to Hoi An ($5.50) in the $150,000 Group 3 Furphy Gimcrack Stakes (1100m) with Joseph Azzopardi aboard.
The Safeguard filly looked the winner after taking an inside opening in the straight and sprinting quickly to hit the lead before getting over-run in the shadows of the post.
The pint-sized chestnut has accumulated $197,400 in total earnings courtesy of her two wins and second placing from her five starts to date, as well as now obtaining important black type status which is certain to boost her breeding value post-racing.
The Pearce stable have Superior Smile, Quintus, Zangief and Command Force engaged at today’s Bunbury meeting.
[PHOTO: Western Racepix]
CLICK HERE to watch the replay of Pletto’s Ascot win.
CLICK HERE to watch the replay of Dig Deep’s Ascot win.