[PHOTO: Western Racepix]
Pearce Racing gallopers Queen Of Hawks and Pull The Trigger brought up a stable double at the opening meeting of the Geraldton season on Thursday.
Both ridden by jockey Tash Faithfull, Sessions three-year-old Queen Of Hawks kicked the day off with a bang when taking out the TABtouch Maiden (1113m) as the $1.95 favourite.
The Oakland Park-bred filly was having only her second race start when settled outside of the leader in running before hitting the front on straightening and pulling away to score by just under one-and-a-half lengths.
Lady Tremaine ($4.60) finished in second place, with Schnoots ($26) a further three-quarter length away in third.
Queen Of Hawks put the writing on the wall for her maiden victory when running a solid fourth placing to Keep Ita Mystery and Sir Dreamalot in Saturday grade at Belmont at her race debut on September 21.
Two races later Patronize gelding Pull The Trigger ($4.20) made an encouraging return to racing when scoring a last-to-first win in the Great Western Insurance Brokers Handicap (1413m).
The four-year-old was having his first start since April 25 but the benefit of two lead-up trials saw him forward enough to rattle home down the middle of the track under a 60kg impost to defeat George Gently ($8.50) by just under a length.
Race-favourite Odin Omen ($3.20) finished a further one-and-three-quarter lengths away in third place.
Pull The Trigger has now had eight career starts for two wins, two second placings and $63,437 in stake earnings and Westspeed Platinum bonuses.
Meanwhile, stablemates Hezangelic and Manhattan Strip ran second and third respectively in other races on the Geraldton program.
The Pearce stable will travel a strong team featuring Decoration, Exceltrain, Manavendra, Kiralui, Influencing, Galaxy Affair and Under Influence to Saturday’s Kalgoorlie Cup meeting.