Without Peer lived up to his name with spectacular debut victory at Rosehill Gardens

Ciaron Maher two-year-old Without Peer showcased his potential with a debut performance at Rosehill that left a lasting impression.

Without Peer (left) holds out Spice Prawn (right) to score a debut win at Rosehill. Picture: Getty Images

Without Peer lived up to his name and gave a glimpse of his untapped potential with a perfect debut performance at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

The Ciaron Maher-trained gelding was one of three first starters in the 2YO Handicap (1200m) and made an excellent first impression with a strong finishing burst.

Jockey Chad Schofield landed near the rear of the field before making a sustained run down the middle of the track to score.

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Without Peer ($11) held off Peter Snowden’s Spice Prawn ($5) to salute with the Joseph Pride-trained Reflect ($14) making up good ground from the back to finish third.

“He is a lovely horse,” Schofield said.

“He is a stylish animal and gave me classy feel when we went to the gates, albeit very raw.

“My instructions were just to let him balance up and travel and I was told he would very strong late.

“When he quickened as well as he did at the top of the straight, I was very confident.”

Schofield hadn’t ridden Without Peer in either of his trials where the son of Pierata had finished midfield in both hit-outs.

The Maher stable didn’t initially plan on targeting Saturday’s race for his first-up assignment but after seeing the depth of the race, they decided to give him his chance.

Without Peer delivered for the stable with a strong debut effort.

“He has done a very good job,” Maher’s assistant trainer Johann Gerard-Dubord said.

“He surprised us a bit. He has a lot of talent but is still very raw and we saw that in both of his trials, especially his first one.

“But if you watch his first trial he was very new around the turn and he had to get him off heels late, which is always very promising.

“I don’t think this was the deepest two year old Saturday race, which is why he ran today because it wasn’t the plan initially.

“We felt 1200m at Rosehill would be a very good starting point.”

Without Peer and Harry's Bar the first two winners at Rosehill, Race 3 about to be run on 7! pic.twitter.com/zt6ejY0y8P

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Without Peer was purchased by Triple Crown for $120,000, the same figure they spent on their dual Everest winner Redzel when he was offered at the Gold Coast in 2014.

Without Peer was consigned to Inglis’ Premier Yearling Sale in Victoria by Ollie Tait’s Twin Hills Stud at Cootamundra.

A son of Pierata, Without Peer a half-brother to Riduna whose most memorable performances included a fourth to Fangirl in the 2021 Reginald Allen and a close second to Hope In Your Heart in the Group 3 NJC Tibbie Stakes.

Whether Without Peer will measure up in the spring remains to be seen but the gelding is set to get his chance to stake a carnival claim.

“It’s that time of the year where you have to (push on to the spring),” Gerard-Dubord said.

“He is still furnishing so we will give him some time between runs and he will keep improving.

“That was a bonus today.

“We will get further. He was strong there and having a good look but I think he can go 1200m to 1400m next start and could be a miler in time.”

There was drama for the connections of unbeaten Canberra galloper I Show Speed was scratched behind the gates.

Alphard opened as a $26 chance at the beginning of the week before jumping a $4 favourite but the plunge didn’t come off with the Chris Waller-trained colt caught in traffic on the inside before finishing fifth.

Stablemate Portofino ($4.20) failed to fire on debut after sitting outside the lead.

Originally published as Without Peer lived up to his name with spectacular debut victory at Rosehill Gardens