[PHOTO: Western Racepix]
Oratorio four-year-old Hoochie Gucci broke through for his first win at Toodyay on Sunday when causing an upset in the Bolgart Rural Merchandise Maiden Handicap (1100m).
The gelding jumped at odds of as much as $20 when racing off a seven-day turnaround after finishing midfield at Northam at his previous start and always travelled strongly with jockey Jordan Turner aboard.
Turner positioned him outside the leader in the run before sending him to the front at the 200m mark and he lifted over the final stages to hold off the fast-finishing Fire The Guard ($4.40) by a long neck.
Fellow Pearce-trained galloper Scenic Boom ($8) finished a further three-quarter length away in third place.
Unplaced at his first five race starts, a drop in class combined with settling in a more prominent position proved to be the winning recipe for Hoochie Gucci’s first victory.
The gelding is the half relation to former Pearce-trained sprinter, Fiorucci Mama, who won three races and $229,764 for the stable and similar connections.
Pearce Racing will be represented by Kiralui, Tutukaka Boy and Manhattan Jewel at Monday’s public holiday Bunbury meeting.