Pull The Trigger completed a running double at Ascot on Saturday but only banked half the prizemoney after the judge couldn’t separate the Yarradale Stud graduate and Profit Pocket in the Westspeed Platinum Hcp (1400m).
Champion jockey Willie Pike earned a full fee with an inch-perfect ride on the last-start Geraldton winner who had the leader’s back before peeling off heels on straightening. Pike rarely gets beaten in close finishes and the grey appeared to get up in the final stride at his first Saturday start in Perth.
Pull The Trigger had won first-up with 60kg at Geraldton earlier this month for Pearce Racing and Yarradale. “It was a good win up there even though it was a weaker race than today,” co-trainer Dan Pearce said. “He’s come back from throat surgery and that was impressive moving forward.”
Yarradale bred him using Darling View sire Patronize over Gunpowder Grey (Soldier’s Tale) who was the final foal of LR Morphettville Guineas (1600m) winner In the Mist (Southern Appeal). Yarradale had purchased his second-dam for $120,000 at the 2008 Magic Millions National Sale.
Pull The Trigger was a $90,000 buy for Pearce Racing at the 2022 Perth Magic Millions and Yarradale kept a share in the lightly-raced 4yo gelding who will pass his purchase price next time out at Ascot.
Yarradale-bred graduates Please Mizter and Dublin Red completed a double for the Gidgegannup nursery and its former sire War Chant (USA) in Kalgoorlie on Sunday.
Please Mizter (3g War Chant – Mizlecki by Lope de Vega) had won his maiden a fortnight ago in the Goldfields and repeated that front-running victory in the Olympians Basketball Club Hcp (1621m). Trained by Peter Fernie for leading owner Andrew Inglis, he eased from $1.90 to $4.40 but made a mockery of that alarming drift after taking control under Lucy Fiore.
His stablemate Dublin Red also benefited from a well-judged Lucy Fiore ride in the Thanks To Our Members Hcp (1100m). She settled one-out and one-back before getting up in a three-way photo-finish to give Fernie his sixth winner on the seven-race card.
Dublin Red (4m War Chant – Raise A Smile by Excites) was purchased for $52,000 from Yarradale at the 2022 Perth Magic Millions by Fiore’s father Justin Warwick. She’s related to G1 WA Derby (2400m) winner Firing Range (Kala Dancer) and her dam has a yearling filly by Gingerbread Man and a filly foal born on October 5 by Playing God.
Gingerbread Man (Shamardal) is standing for a $5,500 (inc GST) service fee at Yarradale this season. Stud manager Davy Hanratty can be contacted for bookings or further details on (08) 9574 6490 or 0429 326 904.