Photo: Western Racepix
Blackfriars mare Friarbird will be the sole runner for Pearce Racing if Pinjarra’s race meeting goes ahead on Thursday.
There have been serious doubts cast over the provincial meeting’s likelihood to race following the abandonment of Wednesday’s Belmont meeting due to excessive rain in recent days.
Five-year-old Friarbird, who hasn’t raced since September 24 of last year, is scheduled to contest the Keith Mullins Handicap over 1603m.
Despite not racing for 320 days, she comes into the race on the back of two trials in July and boats the best wet-track form of the field, having placed at two of three starts on soft tracks as well as winning at her only start on a heavy-rated surface.
The mare has drawn the outside gate in the 10-horse starting field and rider Joseph Azzopardi will take the mount.
Friarbird showed considerable potential when last in work with a win and two minor placings before finishing just half-a-length behind Proxy at Saturday level at her last start before a spell.
Although she will improve off of her first-up run, she’ll definitely appreciate the conditions and should be doing her best work over the concluding stages.
The Pearce stable have accepted with four runners at this Saturday’s Belmont meeting, highlighted by the return of last season’s Narrogin Cup winner, Pushin’ Shapes.