In a close finish, you always love to be on a Pierro as they invariably dig in for the fight as did their illustrious sire.
A $400,000 Inglis Easter purchase from the Turangga Farm draft that runs for Orbis Bloodstock, the Chris Waller trained three year-old Pierro gelding Fuller showed exactly that hallmark brand of courage when scoring his first win at Sandown on Monday.
Given plenty of time to mature, he finished second at Yarra Glen on debut last December and was then sent back to the paddock.
Reappearing in the 1200m maiden, he raced on the pace for Craig Williams and then settled in for a good battle with runner-up Life Lessons to win by half a length with seven lengths back to the third horse.
“I’ve always really liked this horse when he came down from Sydney for his first preparation, he was quite an anxious horse and very raw,” said Craig Williams.
“Today is the first time I’ve been on his back since and you can feel the maturity and he has a lot more to offer.
“What I loved most was when the chips were down, he was the horse you wanted to be on in a fight.”
Bred by Turangga Farm, Fuller is the second winner from unraced Redoute’s Choice mare Life on the Edge, a sibling to stakes-winners Glenall and Panipique.
Life on the Edge is currently in foal to Triple Crown winner Justify (USA).
Fuller is bred on the magic cross of Pierro over daughters of Redoute’s Choice and is the 35th winner bred this way from 46 starters, which is 76% winners to runners and the SW to runner strike rate is nearly 20% so it’s a nick you can’t afford to ignore.
