[PHOTO: Western Racepix]
The Dan and Ben Pearce combination continued its white-hot form when wheeling out a quartet of winners at Northam on Thursday.
Fresh from a city double at Belmont the day prior, stablemates Exceltrain, Queen Alina, Anna’s Boy and Defending tasted success in each of their races in the Avon Valley to boost the Pearce brothers’ season winners’ tally to a state-high 17.
Spirit Of Boom three-year-old Exceltrain ($7) made a promising start to career when debuting in the Gannons Spring Sunday Session – 2nd Oct Maiden (1000m) off the back of only barrier trial and defeating race-favourite Givemeonereason ($1.75) by the barest of margins in a tight photo finish.
Ridden by Chris Parnham who booted home five winners on the day, the gelding jumped from barrier one before settling behind the leader and peeling out to take a tight gap on straightening.
The Oakland Park-bred bay is expected to do his best work over a mile in the future but he was still sharp enough to reel off a 33:73 last 600m and land the first-up win, with Basil’s Dream ($61) finishing more than a length behind Givemeonereason in third place.
The next race saw lightly-raced four-year-old Queen Alina ($3.70 into $2.80) land good bets when bringing up back-to-back wins in the XXXX Northam Cup – 23rd October Handicap (1600m).
After producing a last-to-first maiden victory over 1300m at her previous outing, the Mahuta mare relished the step up to a mile to charge home from back in the field and defeat Jack In The Black ($31) by a length with Joseph Azzopardi aboard.
Race-favourite Fly Away Home ($1.75) finished a further half-length away in third place.
Queen Alina has now had four career starts for two wins, a second and $46,860 in stakemoney and bonuses.
Stablemate Anna’s Boy ($3.80) kept the good run going when landing a race-to-race-to-race treble for the Pearces’ after breaking his maiden status in the Avon Valley Toyota Fashions On The Field Maiden (1600m).
Also ridden by Parnham and bred by Oakland Park, the Sessions four-year-old came from near-last in a 10-horse field to fly past his rivals and claim the race-leader, Boy Blue ($3), by a three-quarter-length.
Bailee’s Pride ($26) finished a further length away in third place.
After going one better than his runner-up finishes at his previous two runs, Anna’s Boy has now produced top-four placings at five of his seven career starts.
Lastly, the in-form Defending ($3.20 into $2.35) capped off the day in a big way when producing a brilliant win in the last race on the card, the Www.northamraceclub.com.au Handicap (1300m).
Despite jumping from barrier nine in a 10-horse field and settling a clear last, the Oratorio four-year-old sprouted wings in the straight to win by just under a length and provide Parnham with his fifth winner of the day.
Race-leader War Warrior ($26) finished in second place, with Civvy Street ($6.50) a further half-length away in third.
The win was Defending’s second from his past three outings and takes his career record to 12 starts for three wins, two seconds and $108,135 in prizemoney and bonuses.
The Pearce yard have maintained a 23 per cent-winning strike rate from 73 runners in first six-and-a-half weeks of the new season, providing them with their best start to a season since the partnership began in 2017.
Manhattan Strip, Sofia’s Symphony, Probity and Let’s Galahvant will fly the flag for the stable at Saturday’s Belmont meeting.
CLICK HERE to watch the replay of Exceltrain’s Northam win.
CLICK HERE to watch the replay of Queen Alina’s Northam win.
CLICK HERE to watch the replay of Anna’s Boy’s Northam win.
CLICK HERE to watch the replay of Defending’s Northam win.