[PHOTO: Western Racepix]
Rising eight-year-old Ginger Baker broke a 652-day drought at Bunbury on Sunday when taking out the featured $125,000 Listed South West Cup (2200m).
Bringing up his seventh win with jockey Brad Parnham in the saddle, the Gingerbread Man gelding jumped a $7 chance after finishing third in the Group 3 Strickland Stakes a fortnight prior.
Parnham settled Ginger Baker outside the leader in testing conditions on a bottomless heavy-9 track before he hit the front turning for home and powered away from his rivals to win by two lengths in his first victory past 1650m.
Playhouse Patron ($18) finished second, with fellow Pearce Racing-trained galloper Fear The Wind ($15) a further one-and-a-quarter lengths away in third place.
Ginger Baker is in his third preparation with the Pearce stable after previously being trained by Vern Brockman and he’s now had a total of 52 career starts for 10 wins, 14 minor placings and $606,580 in stake earnings and bonuses.
Meanwhile, stablemate Sinful Living ran a game third in Saturday’s Listed Beaufine Stakes at Pinjarra, giving the three-year-old filly valuable black type to enhance her breeding value for post-racing.
Pearce Racing has prepared 74 winners in the 2024/25 season with 24 days remaining.