The inform Ben Pearce stable notched up another win for the month, when their own Vital Edition collected the chocolates at Ascot on the 27/11. Owned and raced by Ben and his father Colin, the Vital Equine 3yo gelding was having his 3rd start from a spell and was coming into competition against an unbeaten commodity in Cut Snake.
Top jockey Paul Harvey was in command of Vital Edition and right from the jump, Paul was going to need all of his experience, as the cat and mouse game would be on in earnest. On landing Vital Edition elected to find the paint and after a bit of persuasion, Harvey got him to the woodwork,out in front, he then, slowed the field down to a walk. Air Colorado had other ideas as Pike took his charge out to dictate the proceedings.
Coming to the 550m, Vital Edition was poised to strike of the back of the leader, so inturn Cut Snake rolled off Vital Edition's heals for the run home. Coming to the 250m the two well backed runners were left to fight it out as if in a race of their own, but in the concluding stages, Vital Edition and Paul Harvey would hand Cut Snake its first career defeat, going down 1.5 lengths on the line, with Put Up Your Dukes rounding out the Trifecta. Well done to the Pearce family, as their horse showed a true test of attrition.
Congratulations to the winning owners: Mr C S Pearce, Mr B M Pearce
Story by Rod Wheeler / Photo courtesy Trackside Photography