I’m All The Talk and Safeguard have skipped clear at the top of the WA 2YO Sires’ table after providing the winners of Saturday’s Karrakatta Plate prelims at Ascot.

Safeguard sired Castle Road for an all-the-way victory in the LR Perth Stakes (1100m) to get within $36,000 of I’m All The Talk but the long-time ladder-leader replied 35 minutes later with G3 Gimcrack Stakes (1100m) winner Talkanco.

At the close of play, I’m All The Talk ($482k) held sway over Safeguard ($337k) but the premiership is still in the balance with the G2 Karrakatta Plate winner banking $274k on April 26.

Yes Queen, a daughter of Coolmore Stud sire Yes Yes Yes, is the $3.40 TABtouch favourite for the Karrakatta ahead of Talkanco ($5) and Castle Road ($8.50).  God’s Rapture is also on the third line ($8.50) and she could conceivably give Playing God a shot at the 2YO Sires’ title with a second Karrakatta for the Darling View Champion following Ex Sport Man in 2021.

I’m All The Talk sired Talkanco in his final book at Darling View Thoroughbreds and she went into the Gimcrack on the back of a first-up third in the LR Supremacy Stakes (1000m) won by Luana Miss last month.

“She’s a serious filly with an exciting future,” co-trainer Dan Pearce declared.  “She’s still doing a bit wrong and won it on raw ability.  She’s got a motor and will keep improving into the Karrakatta.”

Pearce Racing won the 2019 Karrakatta with Dig Deep (Deep Field) and they will just keep her ticking over for the next two weeks.  “We told Brad (Parnham) to get some cover and ride her with the Karrakatta in mind and she really rallied when challenged late by Yes Queen.”

Talkanco is a homebred for Henley Brook-based Ian Riley (Woodbridge Thoroughbreds) and he also manages her for a Pearce Racing stable syndicate.  Riley had purchased her Morphettville-winning dam Calianco (California Dane) for $52,500 at the 2019 Magic Millions National Sale on the Gold Coast.

Calianco is also the dam of Richanco (Rich Enuff) who has won at Bunbury and Pinjarra (2) for Pearce Racing and she foaled a colt from the first crop of Mogumber Stud sire Marine One (Capitalist) last September.