Talk of the town trialing this Tuesday

In a racing season already rich with storylines, none shine brighter than that of Talkanco – the filly who elevated from homebred hope to headline act in just five electrifying starts.

The daughter of I’m All The Talk, prepared by co-training brothers Dan and Ben Pearce, won the $200,000 Group 3 Gimcrack Stakes and the $500,000 Group 2 Karrakatta Plate to take her ownership group on a memorable ride.

Her name is a mixture of those of her sire and her dam, former South Australian race mare Calianco.

Woodbridge Thoroughbreds’ Ian Riley, who bred the filly at his Henley Brook property, said securing the two-year-old feature double – which was last achieved by glamour galloper Amelia’s Jewel – was something he will remember forever.

However, for Ian, the wins are about more than just trophies – it is about sharing the joy with friends.

“It’s usually all my friends who buy into the horses I take to the sales, so winning the Karrakatta was an outstanding reward to the people who support me,” he said.

“The whole day was exciting.  I watched on with my wife and son, who joined the celebrations – sharing that success with everyone is what makes it extra special.”

Co-training brothers Dan and Ben Pearce with the Karrakatta Plate at Ascot.

Part-owners Ron and Colleen Peterson are no strangers to Karrakatta success, having previously paired with the Pearce stable to win the Plate with Dig Deep in 2019.

The husband-and-wife partnership have been involved in racing for more than 30 years, with Colleen siting the social aspect of ownership as one of her main highlights of being part of the industry.

“We’ve made a lot of friends through ownership,” Coleen said.

“The social side is huge, obviously winning is always a bonus, but everyone just enjoys coming together as well. You can’t really describe the feeling of those first moments after a win – maybe elation – then it’s screaming and carrying on together.

“Win or lose, though, you get to go out with the ownership group and get dressed up with everyone. It really makes it.”

After her impressive Karrakatta victory, Talkanco enjoyed a well-earned spell, with her debut season earning her the honour of Racing WA’s Champion Two-year-old award for the past season.

As the half-sister of Richanco, another Pearce product who has had a great start to his career in his own right, Talkanco had a buzz around her from the get-go. But she is already exceeding expectations.

Another member of the ownership group, Robert Bower, said he had loved the journey the horse had already taken them all on and is excited for the future.

“It’s been a wild ride – a lot more than what I first expected,” he said.

“Watching the Karrakatta, when Brad Parnham got her through the gap and she just stretched right out then hit the line … unbelievable.”

Talkanco lunges on the inside to secure the win.

The Pearce stable always knew Talkanco had something special about her, but the filly has moved forward in leaps and bounds, co-trainer Dan Pearce said.

“She always showed she had a big motor and just kept improving each time she went to the races,” Daniel said.

When asked about his tips for aspiring owners, Dan recommended diversifying their involvement rather than placing all their hopes on a single opportunity.

“If you buy a small amount in multiple horses each year, you’ve always got one coming through to look forward to,” he said.

“It eliminates your wait time and increases the chance that you’ll have success.”

The sentiment was echoed by Colleen, who has been a long-time supporter of the Pearce Racing stable and is excited to continue the journey.

“Give it a go, you don’t always have to have a big share,” Colleen said. “That’s the best thing about WA racing, they really promote accessible ownership.

After some time in the paddock for Talkanco, she will be aimed at a return in the $100,000  Belgravia Stakes (1200m) or the $100,000 Burgess Queen (1400m) line of races, with the decision then left to connections if they stretch her distance out to 1600m and target the Group 2 WA Guineas.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen as a three-year-old, but we will just take it as it comes,” Colleen said.

“The ownership group all gets along, it is a great group and we will continue to enjoy the ride together.”

The now 3-year-old will meet her arch rival Yes Queen in a stacked trial 7 at Belmont on Tuesday that also includes Super Smink and Zipaway. 

You can watch all the trials live and free on Racing WA TV through 7plus. Click here for the full list of Tuesday’s trials.

Josh Miller