[PHOTO: Western Racepix]
The penny appears to have dropped with Shooting To Win gelding Starring Knight after he produced a second-straight dominant win in Thursday’s Dance To Felix After The Last Handicap (1300m) at Pinjarra Scarpside.
Heavily supported from $3.40 to $2.30 favouritism in betting, the four-year-old settled one-out and two-back in running from barrier six in a nine-horse field before peeling three and four wide approaching the turn.
Jockey Chris Parnham – who ride five winners on the day – extricated the striking bay to the outside straightening for home and he finished brilliantly to race past his rivals and claim Arracity ($21) by an impressive two-and-a-half lengths on the line.
Flicka’s Chance ($6) finished a further one-and-a-half lengths away in third place.
Starring Knight’s top performance followed a smart midweek win at Ascot on March 12 and takes his career record to 11 starts for three wins and three minor placings, with a step up to Saturday grade looking like the natural progression.
Parnham has now ridden the gelding five times for three victories.
Meanwhile, stablemates Manhattan Strip and Deep Envy finished second and third in their respective races at Thursday’s Pinjarra meeting.
The Pearce stable have prepared 47 wins so far in the 2022/23 season.