Al Maher Strikes With a Stakes Double at Ascot

Aquis Farm's ever-reliable Al Maher struck with a stakes double at Ascot on Saturday and both winners look capable of adding further glory over the Perth Summer Carnival.

The 3-year-old colt Money Maher got the ball rolling with a hugely impressive performance in the Listed Fairetha Stakes (1400m) before Silverstream upset the hot-pot Scales Of Justice in the Group II WAROA Lee-Steere Stakes (1400m).

Money Maher staked his claim for the Group II WA Guineas (1600m) when he came from the tail of the field to dominate the finish of the Fairetha Stakes.

Jockey Jarrad Noske eased the Al Maher colt to the centre of the track and powered home to win by two lengths from Achernar Star (Gingerbread Man) with a further length back to Reykjavik (Artie Schiller) in third.

It was the third win in the past four starts for the Dan and Ben Pearce-trained colt who was making his first start for over two months.

"He's shown us this for a long time and we've been pretty excited about him," Ben Pearce told the West Australian.

"We were looking forward to these good races where there is that genuine tempo so we can settle and see him hit the line and that's what he did.

"This horse is Group placed and now a Listed winner heading towards the Guineas and possibly even the Kingston Town if he shapes up. He's still a colt so he's got a lot of value there."

A $58,000 purchase by his trainers out of the Bucklee Farm draft at the 2016 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, Money Maher (pictured as a yearling ) advances his record to 3 wins, 2 seconds and 1 third from 9 starts with earnings of $136,800.

He is the first foal of the 4-time Melbourne winner Treasury Notes (Special Bond) whose dam Financial Rescue (New Regent) is a half-sister to the Group 1 AJC Oaks heroine and grand broodmare Savanna City whose four stakes winners included the Hong Kong champion Mr Vitality and the Listed winner and Group 1 Australian Guineas runner-up Danehill Express.

Treasury Notes has a yearling filly by Skilled but sadly slipped to Al Maher in 2016.

Money Maher becomes the 35^th stakes winner for Al Maher.

The Bob and Sandra Peters owned Silverstream already belongs to that club and she added to her stakes haul in the Lee-Steere Stakes.

It was the third stakes success for the Adam Durrant-trained mare who has the $1 million Group 1 Railway Stakes in her sights.

Much like Money Maher, Silverstream stormed home from near last under William Pike to defeat pacesetter Great Shot (Magnus) by a head with odds-on favourite Scales Of Justice (Not A Single Doubt) the same distance back in third.

"She had a go at the mares' (series) last year. She's six now and hasn't got long to go so we'll have a try (in the Railway Stakes)," owner Bob Peters told the West Australian.

Pike said he was confident in the run but it was a near thing in the end.

"I rode to have the last say and we were able to get it today," he said.

"I was sort of half confident I was going to get there but the line was coming up pretty quick, so I had to stick my head out a bit."

Purchased for $320,000 by Belmont Bloodstock from the Yarraman Park draft at the 2013 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Silverstream (pictured as a yearling ) is the most expensive yearling for her sire ever sold but she has proved her worth with a record of 8 wins, 4 seconds and 1 third from 24 starts with earnings of $552,300.

A full sister to Group III AJC Adrian Knox Stakes winner Speedy Natalie, Silverstream is one of seven winners from stakes-winning Brocco (USA) mare Speedy Bell, who is also the dam of stakes-winner Calanda.

Speedy Bell died last year and her final foal, a colt by I Am Invincible, made $320,000 to the bid of the Hong Kong Jockey Club.at Inglis Easter this year.

A Group 1 winning son of Danehill, Al Maher stands at Aquis Farm Murrurundi at a fee of $13,200.