Vital Silver scored the biggest win of his lightly-raced career at Ascot on Saturday when upstaging a brilliant field to take out the $150,000 D’Orsogna Family Group 3 Roma (1200m).
The Wanted five-year-old started a $15.80 chance on tote and settled outside of the leader, former Group 1 winner Great Shot ($10.70), in running before collaring his rival at the 200m mark and kicking strongly in the final furlong.
Last year’s Group 1 Railway Stakes winner, Galaxy Star, was heavily-supported into favouritism ($2.90-$1.80) and rattled home from ninth position at the turn, however, Vital Silver lifted under the urgings of rider Peter Hall to beat the star mare by a neck.
Great Shot battled on well to finish a further neck back in third place, with River Dance ($19.40) a length away in fourth.
The Roma Cup was Vital Silver’s first test at Weight For Age level and he passed with flying colours, extending his impressive race record to 14 starts for eight wins, four minor placings and $345,400 in stake earnings.
The grey gelding will now progress to the $150,000 Belmont Spring (1400m) on June 1 and co-trainers Ben and Daniel Pearce have flagged a potential Melbourne campaign on the cards for the spring.
Meanwhile, fellow Pearce-trained gallopers Superior Smile and Don’t Fuss finished third in their respective races at the Ascot meeting on Saturday.
[PHOTO: Western Racepix]