Peace Racing’s red-hot form continued at Ascot’s opening meeting for the season on Saturday.
Fresh from a winning double from three runners at Northam on Wednesday, Daniel and Ben Pearce prepared an early race-to-race Ascot double when they took out the opening two events of the Northerly Stakes day program with Agent Pippa and Pushin’ Shapes.
Two-year-old debutant Agent Pippa ($3.20) backed up her impressive trial win at Lark Hill on Monday by leading from start to finish in the Western Racepix Belmont Horse Of The Year Plate (1000m).
A full sister to Metropolitan winner Double Digit, Agent Pippa dominated the race with Joseph Azzopardi aboard to defeat the fast-finishing Princess Pierro ($22.30) by a length.
The filly earnt $36,000 in stake-money for the win as well as an additional $35,000 in WestSpeed bonuses for connections.
In-form hoop Azzopardi then produced another stellar performance in the saddle when guiding home Viscount five-year-old Pushin’ Shapes ($7.00) to victory in the Crown Towers Handicap (1600m).
Azzopardi got a dream split at the top of the straight before Pushin’ Shapes finished strongly to hold off Point ($3.60) by three-quarters of a length.
Race favourite Pinzu ($2.30) finished a further half-length away in third place.
The luck stopped there for Team Pearce, however, as Time To Hunt ($3.90) was held up behind a wall of horses in the straight before getting out late to run fourth to Slick Talker ($11.20) in the The Merrywell Handicap (1800m).
Stablemate’s Let’s Twist ($31.40) and Defiancy ($16.40) also finished eighth and twelfth respectively in the same race.
The Pearce brothers have now trained four winners and five minor placings from their past 15 starters.
The stable now turn their attention to tomorrow’s Bunbury meeting where they have Vital Silver ($3.00), Racy Ava ($6.00), Cheap Express ($6.00), Mega Minx ($10) and Pro Mutual ($11) engaged.