[PHOTO: Western Racepix]
The Pearce yard’s hot form continued at Northam’s opening meeting of the season on Sunday when preparing three winners from only four starters.
Stablemates Climb On Top, Manhattan Strip and Starring Knight each produced impressive performances in their respective races, taking Pearce Racing’s season tally to a record 65 wins.
Climb On Top ($3.10) proved his dominant debut victory at Pinjarra on April 20 was no fluke when taking out the AFGRI Equipment Handicap (1100m) to keep his undefeated record in tact.
Ridden by Clint Johnston-Porter, the Demerit three-year-old was rising 2.5kg after leading throughout in his maiden victory but showed tactical versatility to sit off the speed and finish powerfully to claim race-favourite Sisu Warrior ($2.60) by a nose in a tight photo finish.
Bred by Oakland Park, the gelding has accumulated $56,350 in earnings and Westspeed Platinum bonuses from his first two race starts.
Fellow three-year-old Manhattan Strip ($2.70) also displayed his progressiveness when producing a devastating win in the TAB Sports Daily Handicap (1600m).
The Manhattan Rain gelding went into the race having finished in the money at all four of his starts this campaign and came from last in a seven-horse field to score by two-and-a-half lengths with Chris Parnham aboard.
He has now had nine career starts for two wins, three minor placings, nine top-five finishes and $60,457 in stake earnings and bonuses.
Later in the day Starring Knight ($2.30) rounded out the program in the best way possible when coming from a seemingly-impossible position at the turn to mow down his rivals in the Sky Racing TV Provincical Championship Series Heat (1300m).
Also ridden by Parnham, the Shooting To Win four-year-old settled a clear last of the 10 runners and appeared to have too much work to do on straightening before unleashing a brilliant finish to reel in Forest War ($8.50) and score by a half-length on the line.
The Amelia Park-bred gelding landed a winning hattrick before being completely luckless in Saturday city grade at his last two starts and is now the likely nominal favourite for the $100,000 Sky Racing TV Provincial Championship Series Final (1400m) at Belmont on Saturday May 20.
The victory takes his career record to 15 starts for five wins, three minor placings and $96,896 in stake earnings and bonuses.