Progressive galloper Pericles re-entered the winner’s circle for the first time since his three-year-old stakes success in the Innovate-Need A Website Call 020 4141 7448 (1600m) at Te Rapa on Saturday.

The son of Rubick showed his sprinting prowess last term when taking out the Listed Uncle Remus Stakes (1200m) and produced a similar effort on resumption in September, going down by a nose to Luberon, who has subsequently won twice at Group Three level.

Pericles has worked through the distances building up to Saturday’s Rating 75 mile contest, where he closed third-favourite in an even market topped by Sparkles ($4). Jumping from the outside barrier (7), Pericles had the lead handed to him outside of To Catch A Thief, the pair taking up the pacemaking role at a leisurely tempo in the early stages.

Apprentice jockey Ace Lawson-Carroll, who relieved two kilograms off the gelding’s 60kg topweight, decided to push forward at the 1200m and Pericles was tracking boldly into the straight, maintaining a strong gallop to hold off the charge of Talentoso and Sparkles to score by a long head.

The young hoop was complementary of the gelding’s effort, indicating the mile was right up his alley.

“He jumped clear with the leader, but he was walking so I thought we’d roll forward and get into a nice momentum,” he said.

“He was rolling forward from the 600m, which he did in nice style and it was a good win. He was able to get into his own rhythm without fighting me too much, relaxed a lot better, and I upped the revs about the 400m and wanted to see if they could catch me.

“1600 was really nice for him today and I think when he gets up to nicer races, with less weight, he’ll be a horse that will be hard to beat.”

Pam Gerard, who trains Pericles out of Matamata, was thrilled to see him exit Rating 75 grade after contending with a big impost at every start this preparation.

“He can be quite strong at times and doesn’t always do things right, but it was a very good ride from Ace,” she said.

“He’s a horse with a lot of talent, he really shouldn’t be in this grade and (because of big weights) I’m pleased he’s out of it.

“He’s a big, raw, type of horse, has taken a lot time, but winning again will help get his confidence back.”

Pericles was a $110,000 purchase at Karaka 2022 by Ballymore Stables, after being selected from breeder Pencarrow Stud’s draft by Paul Moroney Bloodstock. Racing in the familiar Fletcher tartan, Pericles is raced by Hugh Fletcher and Dame Sian Elias, Roddy and Jenny Paddon, Alan Schmedje, and Ballymore Stables, and he has earned the group $129,395 in stakes with four wins from 13 starts.

The gelding is regally bred, with his dam Empyrean out of Sir Peter Vela’s champion racemare Ethereal, winner of four Australian Group Ones, including the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) in 2001.