[PHOTO: Western Racepix]
Veteran gelding Fear The Wind caused one of the biggest upsets seen at Ascot on Saturday when taking out the $125,000 Listed Reliable Asset Maintenance Detonator Stakes (1800m).
The Fiorente gelding jumped the $201 rank outsider of the 15-horse field after finishing last at his first start back from a freshen 21 days prior but improved sharply to land his first Listed success.
Ridden by Luke Campbell, the big bay settled three-wide with cover and only had three horses behind him on straightening but rocketed down the outside of the track to hit the front 50m from home.
He continued his surge to defeat Rocking Society ($31) by a three-quarter length on the line, with Arcadia Park ($15) a further head away in third place.
Fear The Wind is in his third preparation after suffering a tendon injury in 2023 and whilst he placed in last year’s Listed Pinjarra Cup (2300m) and Listed South West Autumn Cup (2200m), Saturday’s victory broke a 973-day winning drought.
The gelding has now had 37 career starts for eight wins, five minor placings and $413,023 in stake earnings and is scheduled to contest the $150,000 Listed Bunbury Cup (2000m) on March 7 before progressing to the $150,000 Listed Pinjarra Cup (2300m) on March 22.
Meanwhile, Pearce Racing will launch a three-pronged attack in Sunday’s $150,000 Listed Pinjarra Classic (1300m) with Talkanco, Sensessional and Triple Jay set to contest the feature event.
Stablemates Eightyseven Lad, Eight Count, So Many Stories, Productive and Defending will also line up in support races on the nine-race Pinjarra Scarpside card.
CLICK HERE to watch the replay of Fear The Wind’s Detonator Stakes win.