Co trainer Dan Pearce is confident Angelic Ruler can return to the winner’s list and claim her first black-type success in the Listed Rangeview Stud Classic (1400m) at Bunbury on Sunday.
The Universal Ruler filly is out to make amends after a minor setback ruled her out of the Ascot carnival and a crack at the Burgess Queen Stakes (1400m) and Champion Fillies Stakes (1600m).
Angelic Ruler showed she was back on track and had overcome any injury worries when she returned to racing in style at Ascot in December, winning back-to-back races over 1200m and 1400m respectively.
Validating her immense promise first-up, the talented three-year-old unleashed a blistering run from last position to defeat Black Sabbath, who was coming back in grade after being unplaced in the WA Guineas (1600m), by 2 ¼ lengths.
On the quick back-up a week later Angelic Ruler replicated an almost identical run from a similar position from behind the field when she ran over the top of Archant and scored by another comfortable 1 ¼ length margin.
However, a winning trifecta came to a sudden stop last start when despite looking like the winner half way down the straight after running on from a rearward position, she peaked and finished a ½ length third to Sliced Bread.
Pearce, who prepares Angelic Ruler in partnership with his brother Ben, said dropping back to 1400m in the Rangeview Stud Classic will prove the winning formula.
“She is dropping back from the 1600m of the other when she looked the winner 100m out, but she didn’t quite run out the mile,” Pearce told TABradio.
“I think dropping back to the 1400m will suit her better.
“She will require luck at some stage to get into open running.
“But if she can produce the turn of foot that she has done in her first two starts this prep, then she is going to be awfully hard to beat.”
Angelic Ruler has drawn barrier two in the field of eight starters. Joe Azzopardi takes the ride for the first time.