[PHOTO: Western Racepix]
Star filly Talkanco picked up where she left off at her previous campaign when taking out the $100,000 Unite Resourcing Max Simmonds Stakes (1000m) first up at Ascot on Saturday.
Crowned WA’s Champion Two-Year-Old last season after claiming the prized Gimcrack Stakes-Karrakatta Plate double, the daughter of I’m All The Talk’s class shone through as she kicked off her spring carnival assault despite carrying the 57kg top weight at a distance expected to be well short of her best.
The bay jumped from barrier one as the $3.30 second favourite and was settled three pairs back on the fence by jockey Brad Parnham before getting momentarily held up for a run when trying to extricate into the clear on straightening, however, she was able to pick back up at the 150m mark and finish brilliantly to reel in her rivals 50m from home.
She lifted over the late stages to hold off the fast-finishing Luana Miss ($21) to win by a head on the line, with Rostislav ($17) a further long neck away in third place.
Talkanco has now won four of her six career starts to date, as well as recording two minor placings, with her total earnings now rocketing to $603,140.
The exciting three-year-old is now scheduled to race second-up from a spell in the $125,000 Listed Belgravia Stakes (1200m) at Ascot on Saturday October 25.
Meanwhile, Pearce Racing has enjoyed a flying start to the 2025/26 season and currently lead the overall WA Trainers’ Premiership with 19 wins after 10 weeks.