[PHOTO: Western Racepix]
Deep Field five-year-old Manavendra landed his first win in 12 months at Albany on Thursday when producing an emphatic performance in the Vale David Hicks Handicap (1920m).
Starting a $3.60 second favourite with Tash Faithfull aboard, the gelding settled at the rear of the nine-horse field and raced keenly so Faithfull elected to make an early move and allow him to slide into the race from the 800m mark.
The duo ended up hitting the front turning for home and raced away in the straight to defeat Alberich ($12) by two-and-a-quarter lengths, with Red Dwarf ($9) a further three-quarter length away in third place.
Manavendra’s previous victory was the 2024 Esperance Cup and he’s built up a successful race record of 38 career starts for seven wins, eight minor placings and $330,948 in total earnings to date.
The gelding is now likely to progress to the $125,000 Geraldton Cup (2100m) on Sunday April 6.
Meanwhile, stablemate Desert Madame ran a narrow third earlier on the Albany program.
Pearce Racing will saddle up the returning Talkanco in the $125,000 Listed Supremacy Stakes (1000m) at Ascot on Saturday, as well as Kiralui and Blue Rocket in support races on the nine-event card.