Lightly-raced Silent Amarda climbed off the canvas to land the first-leg of a Yarradale Stud double at Northam on Wednesday.

Silent Amarda (3g Merchant Navy - War Of Whispers by War Chant) was appearing first-up in the Pro Con Australia Maiden (1100m) since an unplaced debut at Northam last September and followers of Willie Pike have the champion jockey to thank for a perfect ride.

Pike took a sit on the fence behind front-runners Token King (Trapeze Artist) and Coupe Deburj (Pride Of Dubai) before splitting the leaders at the top of the straight.  The Wiz then went to work with the persuader when Enchanted Star (I Am Invincible) issued what looked like a winning challenge at the furlong.

Although all out, Silent Amarda kept lifting for Pike to deny the filly and Peter Gunn (Shooting To Win) who also closed late in a busy finish.

Trained by Adam Durrant, he’s a son of former Coolmore Stud sire Merchant Navy (Fastnet Rock) and is a younger half-brother to last-start Pinjarra winner Wubin Gold (Shooting To Win).  They were bred by Yarradale in partnership with Graham Daws and their dam War Of Whispers has a Playing God colt that will be a hot item at the 2026 Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale.

Platinum Shot (4m Shooting To Win - Platinum Power by Commands) completed the Yarradale double in the C U Tomorrow @ Northam Hcp (1400m) and it was also a triumph for trainers Ben and Dan Pearce.

She led in a stable trifecta from Exceltrain (Spirit Of Boom) and Climb On Top (Demerit) with jockey Tash Faithfull taking a leaf out of the Pike Playbook.  She settled on the rails and didn’t go around a horse in the capacity field.

On an afternoon of doubles, it was also the second-leg for Faithfull who had partnered Annie Warbucks (Long Leaf) to victory in Race 1.  “That was a good day at the office with a double and a trifecta,” Pearce Racing posted on Facebook. “Art Session (Sessions) continued his promising progression while our consistent mare Platinum Shot was able to beat her two stablemates in a great end to the day.”

Pearce Racing had purchased Platinum Shot for $55,000 at the 2022 Perth Magic Millions and Yarradale Stud’s Lyn Sayers kept a share in a stable partnership.  She’s been a model of consistency winning five races and being placed on another dozen occasions in 26 starts for earning of $192,000.

Platinum Shot had earned black-type at two when runner-up in the LR Supremacy Stakes (1000m) and her dam Platinum Power (Commands) is a half-sister to G3 WA Oaks (2400m) winner Lady Chant (War Chant).

SILENT AMARDA (rails) wins his maiden at Northam / Photo: Western Racepix