[PHOTO: Western Racepix]
Splintex three-year-old Spinarella brought up Pearce Racing’s first metropolitan winner of the new season at Belmont on Saturday when taking out the Happy 70th Birthday Colin Brown Plate (1000m).
Ridden by Clint Johnston-Porter, the filly jumped from barrier three as a $9 chance and was given the run of the race in the one-out and one-back position in testing wet conditions.
She peeled out on straightening and hit the line strongly in what ended as a driving finish with four horses deadlocked alongside each other, however, she stuck her nose out where it mattered and defeated Manhattan Squeeze ($11) by a head.
Fellow Pearce-trained three-year-old, Properata ($3.10) finished a further nose away in third place.
Purchased by Pearce Racing after she was passed in at the 2025 Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale, Spinarella has now recorded a win, two thirds and a fourth from her four career starts to date, accumulating total earnings of $100,200 in the process.
The Pearce stable will saddle up Sippa Spritz, Rainline and White Hot at Kalgoorlie on Sunday.