[PHOTO: Western Racepix]
Stablemates Cosmopolitan Girl and Starring Knight produced a Pearce Racing double at Belmont on Wednesday when taking out their respective races, giving co-trainers Daniel and Ben Pearce 50 wins for the 2022/23 season in the process.
Safeguard three-year-old Cosmopolitan Girl was a late drifter in the market ($8 to $13) prior to the running of the Free Entry To Belmont Park Handicap (1000m) and was forced to race against her usual racing pattern but produced a tough performance to score second-up from a spell.
Ridden by apprentice Luke Campbell, the filly was unable to find her customary role in the lead when the speed was too strong inside of her so Campbell restrained her into the one-out and one-back position before peeling three-wide turning for home and fending off the late charge of Rupert’s Empire ($2.40) to win by a nose.
Race-favourite Ruler Rocket ($2.25) finished a further three-quarter-length away in third place.
The all-ladies-owned Cosmopolitan Girl has now had 17 career starts for five wins, four minor placings and $193,396 in stake and Westspeed earnings.
The Pearce stables’ other runner on the program – Starring Knight – continued his career-best form when bringing up a winning hattrick in the Glenroy Chaff Handicap (1400m).
The Shooting To Win four-year-old jumped a hot $2.20 favourite off the back of two impressive wins and didn’t let punters down when settling one-out and one-back for jockey Chris Parnham and finishing off powerfully in the straight.
The gelding pulled away over the final stages to defeat Recalled ($4.80) by one-and-a-quarter lengths, with Justamiddy ($9) a further half-length away in third place.
Starring Knight’s third-straight victory takes his career record to 12 starts for four wins, three minor placings and $75,470 in stake earnings.
After ending the 2021/22 season with 52 wins, the Pearce brothers have already prepared 50 winners in the first eight months of the 2022/23 season, the third most in Western Australia.
Acromantula, Platinum Shot, Fear The Wind and Defending will represent the stable at Saturday’s Ascot meeting.