[PHOTO: Western Racepix]
Oratorio gelding Defending scored the seventh win of his career at Geraldton when taking out the St Francis Xavier Cathedral Handicap (1200m).
Starting on the second line of betting at $2.60, the six-year-old relished a drop in grade after contesting metropolitan-level races at his previous seven starts.
Kyra Yuill settled the gelding one-out and one-back in running and he travelled into the straight strongly before letting down with a powerful finish to win by one-and-a-half lengths.
Patchwork ($11) finished second, with Defending’s stablemate Starring Knight ($2.40) a further length away in third place.
Purchased by Pearce Racing for $30,000 at the 2020 Magic Millions Perth yearling sale, the all-ladies-owned Defending has now had 34 career starts for seven wins, six minor placings and $230,999 in total earnings.
The Pearce stable will saddle up Oly’s Choice in Saturday’s $125,000 Listed Cyril Flower Stakes (1200m) at Ascot, as well as Desert Edge and Soso Lucky in support races on the bumper 12-race card.