Gingerbread Man mare Essential Spice made an ominous return to racing at Ascot on Wednesday when winning first-up from a spell with a fourth consecutive victory.

The four-year-old finished her winter campaign in fine style in August when bringing up three impressive Belmont wins in a line before being turned out for a spell and she picked up exactly where she left off when taking out Wednesday’s D’Orsogna Handicap (1000m).

Starting the $2.90 second favourite in her first start at the Ascot track, Essential Spice settled second-last in a field of eight before circling her rivals around the bend and finishing strongly to defeat Undisclosed ($10) by a long-neck.

Race-favourite Plutocracy ($2.80) finished a further nose away in third place.

The win was Essential Spice’s fifth from 14 career starts, as well as accumulating six minor placings and $367,500 in total earnings, and she is now likely to progress to the $100,000 Listed Summer Scorcher (1000m) at Ascot on January 4.

Meanwhile, co-trainers Ben and Daniel Pearce’s other three runners at Wednesday’s Ascot meeting, Gunflint, Friar’s Fantasia and Dickoletto, also performed well with placings of second, fourth and third respectively.

Stablemate Don’t Fuss is set to make his return at Ascot this Saturday following a brilliant 13-start Belmont campaign during the winter when scoring four wins, eight minor placings and a fourth and is scheduled to join Essential Spice in next month’s Summer Scorcher.

Fellow Pearce Racing-trained gallopers Superior Smile and Supreme Force are also engaged to race at Saturday’s 10-race card.


[PHOTO: Western Racepix]

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