There are bigger fish to fry for promising Pierata colt Fearless, who cast off maiden status at Newcastle on Thursday in the James Harron Bloodstock colours.
Held in high regard by Peter and Paul Snowden, Fearless was fourth on debut in the Group III ATC Breeder’s Plate last spring and then resumed from a spell with a late closing second to Prost in the Group III ATC Canonbury Stakes.
Dispatched to Melbourne for the Group I MRC Blue Diamond Stakes, Fearless was far from disgraced finishing sixth to Hayasugi beaten less than two lengths.
He showed his class dropped back to maiden company cruising clear to win by more than a length for Tommy Berry as a hot favourite.
A $220,000 Inglis Classic purchase from Highgrove Stud, Fearless holds an entry for the Group I ATC Sires Produce Stakes and looks as though 1400m will suit him nicely.
Bred by Highgrove in partnership, Fearless is the second winner from winning Rothesay mare Matildare, a half-sister to stakes-placed Gold Anthem, the dam of Champion Sprinter and four time Group I winning sire Starspangledbanner and grand-dam of Group I winner Amicus.
Fearless is the third winner - one in New Zealand - for Pierata joining Coleman, who runs in the Golden Slipper on Saturday.
Pierata covered his biggest ever book of 191 mares last spring at Yulong at a fee of $44,000.