Western Empire (NZ) has gone back to back in the G3 Hyperion Stakes (1600m) and for good measure he also figured in feature doubles for Peters Investments and Williams Racing.
Western Empire (8g Iffraaj – Western Jewel by Jeune) went out a short-priced favourite for a running double on Saturday and he got there by a half-head after getting the better of Hoba West (Epaulette) on a Soft 6 at Belmont.
He was also the second-leg of a double for Willie Pike who used unusual on-pace tactics to his advantage on the veteran. “I did the form and took control of the race. He had a fire in the belly today and I had to go with it. He’s not a horse you argue with although it told late.
“If he settled better, he would have run through the line better but he’s got a bit of class on his side.”
Western Empire (Photo / Western Racepix) was bred and raced by Peters Investments to win the G2 WA Derby (2400m) and G1 Railway Stakes (1600m) in 2021 carrying the famed crise and white silks for Pike and their private trainer Grant Williams.
Transferred to Melbourne, he lost his way going unplaced in all seven starts over 18 months for two locals trainers. Never shirking from a tough decision, Bob Peters decided it was time to sell and the 6yo gelding found himself in one of the many digital sales that accommodate the overflow from Group 1 owner-breeders like Peters Investments.
Victorian agent Dean Harvey bought him on behalf of Williams Racing and Andrew Latassa and he’s subsequently earned over $2 million.
“Grant and Alana desperately wanted him back in their stables,” Harvey recalled. “He was obviously a high class horse and Grant holds the key to him,”
Williams Racing had logged the first-leg of its Saturday double with odds-on favourite Mt Shirataku (I’m All The Talk) in Heat 2 of the Westspeed Platinum Series (1200m). He’s a Gervase Park-bred $160,000 graduate from the 2023 Perth Magic Millions.
Mt Shirataku is the penultimate foal from Nishikawa (Fuji Kiseki) and he’s a half-brother to Listed winners Rokanori (WATC J C Roberts Stakes) and Takanori (Bunbury Southwest Breeders’ Classic).
Peters Investments had landed the first-leg of its Belmont double with homebred Antique Queen. The Pierro mare won the Max Wishart Happy Birthday Hcp (1600m) and her black-type pedigree goes back to second-dam Antique (Metal Storm) who foaled Listed winners Antique Belle (Burgess Queen Stakes) and Broadway Belle (Jungle Dawn Classic).
