Western Empire (NZ) propelled Peters Investments to an unbeatable lead in the 2025-26 WA Leading Breeders Award with a third Group 3 victory in a row at Belmont on Saturday.
Peters Investments (17 points) was always well-placed with a margin to Graham White (10 points) and the 8yo veteran gelding was similarly placed by Willie Pike in the G3 Strickland Stakes (2000m) before drawing clear from Let’s Galahvant (Galah) and Diamond Scene (So You Think).
“He’s just a marvel and still has plenty to offer,” Pike said. “He keeps fronting up and I hope they can get him up one more time for the summer carnival. He was edgy enough that I had to hold on today but not too edgy that you’re hanging off the side.
“That’s the sort of mood when he goes best and that’s where he is right now.”
Western Empire (Photo / Western Racepix) ) has endured during a storied career that’s been well-documented. He was bred across the Tasman by Peters Investments using Haunui Farm shuttle stallion Iffraaj (GB) over Western Jewel (Jeune) who had carried their cerise and white colours to win the G2 Perth Cup (2400m) in 2011.
Trained by Grant and Alana Williams, Western Empire won 7 of his first 12 starts including the G2 WA Derby (2400m) and G1 Railway Stakes (1600m) prior to Victorian campaigns that didn’t go to plan.
He changed hands at the 2023 Inglis October (Early) Online Sale when Peters Investments sold him to Williams Racing and Andrew Latassa for $150,000. He’s subsequently earned close to $2 million boosted by the first two wins of his latest hat-trick in the G3 Belmont Sprint (1400m) and G3 Hyperion Stakes (1600m) in May.
Notwithstanding that blip, Peters Investments has ramped up it’s homebred strike-rate in recent weeks and there was another on Strickland Stakes Day when Startling Star won the TABtouch Punters Club Hcp (2200m).
Startling Star (4m Pierro – Galaxy Star by Redoute’s Choice) was bred in the silk department by Bob and Sandra Peters. She owns the same Pierro – Redoute’s Choice that has generated Group 1 Kingston Town Classic winners Arcadia Queen and Regal Power for Peters Investments.
Her dam Galaxy Star won five Group events to the elite level in the 2018 Railway Stakes (1600m) and she has been based in New Zealand since 2022. Her Kiwi foals include Pierro 3yo Pressurised who won a Belmont maiden over 2100m in February before being purchased by Pakenham trainer Mitchell Leek in April
