[PHOTO: Western Racepix]
Rommel three-year-old Noble Connection landed his second win from as many starts this preparation when taking out the Racing 6 August See You There Handicap (1500m) at Pinjarra on Wednesday.
The gelding got under the guard of punters a fortnight earlier when scoring an impressive victory as a $15 outsider and he followed it up with an equally strong performance when coming from near-last in a 10-horse field at his second run back.
Ridden by Clint Johnston-Porter again, Noble Connection ($8.50) jumped from barrier nine and was ridden quietly through the early stages of the race before working into the moving line from the 800m mark and then peeling to the extreme outside on straightening.
He powered through the heavy-8 conditions to reel in the leader, Showlas ($4.20), over the final stages and win by a short neck on the line, with race-favourite Worcester ($3.30) a further nose away in third place.
Purchased by Pearce Racing for $170,000 at the 2023 Perth Magic Millions yearling sale, the lightly-raced Noble Connection has been a slow maturing type but has now had eight career starts for three wins, two seconds and $109,679 in total earnings to date and appears to have plenty of upside heading into his four-year-old season.
The Pearce stable will saddle up Sherpa Express and So Many Stories at Northam on Thursday before Saturday’s Belmont Park meeting where Famous Dain, Influencing, Under Influence, Manhattan Strip and Surf Patrol are engaged.
Pearce Racing has prepared 76 winners in the 2024/25 season with one week remaining.