Silver Lining For Team Pearce In Roma Cup
The training partnership of Dan and Ben Pearce know they have an uphill battle to win this afternoon’s Group 3 Roma Cup at Ascot, as Vital Silver takes on the imposing duo of Rock Magic and Galaxy Star.
The upside for the pair is they know their charge will give the two favourites plenty to run down.
Vital Silver returns to the track for the first time since a game third in the Listed Bunbury Stakes in March, which followed his Pinjarra Classic win 10 days earlier.
The flashy grey looms as the likely leader for today’s $150,000 feature, after he drew barrier two.
2017 Railway Stakes winner Great Shot also looms as one of the pacemakers in the race from barrier four.
Co-trainer Dan Pearce said he was looking forward to seeing how Vital Silver, to be ridden by Peter Hall, stacked up against the high quality field.
“He’s going really well,” he told TABradio.
“It’s going to be a challenge for him.
“He goes well fresh and he will be right in it.
“He tends to ping out on speed, but we will leave that up to Hally.”
Vital Silver is one of four runners in single figures with TABtouch at $8.
Superior Smile will be looking to start the day off on the right note for the Pearce team, when he lines up in the Cavalier Handicap (2100m).
The four-year-old had a month off following an unplaced effort at Ascot in February and has gone on to record three wins and three placings in six subsequent starts.
It will be the first time Superior Smile has run beyond 1800m and Pearce said the gelding’s chances of winning the race could hinge on how he runs out the trip.
“He’s been a pleasant surprise this prep,” he said.
“We thought he’d max out at provincial to mid-week, but he’s made the step up really well.
“Out to 2100 will be interesting, but hopefully he can keep going.”
Tim Walker