[PHOTO: Western Racepix]
Six-year-old gelding Jive King broke through for his first win at Northam on Thursday when easily accounting for rivals in the XXXX Maiden (2200m).
The slow-maturing son of Shocking has been a test of patience, however, he rewarded his loyal owners with a strong victory at his fifth start back from a lengthy spell.
He was backed from $9.50 into $5.50 before being settled one-out and one-back from barrier three by jockey Clint Johnston-Porter and being put into the race before the turn to hit the front on straightening.
Johnston-Porter peeled the gelding to the favoured outside section of the track and he kicked clear from his rivals to defeat race-favourite Tivacisaurus ($2.25) by two lengths, with Brown Morn ($11) a further head away in third place.
The New Zealand-bred Jive King was racing off a seven-day back up after running a fast-finishing fourth over 1600m at Pinjarra Scarpside the previous week and has now had 16 career starts for a win, three minor placings and 11 top-five finishes.
Pearce Racing has prepared three winners in the first week of the 2024/25 season and saddle up a solid team featuring Under Influence, Super Romani, Bird’s The Word, Starring Knight and Manavendra at Saturday’s Belmont meeting, with stablemate Acromantula also engaged at Moonee Valley on the same day.