Jockey Sam Clipperton expects Pierossa to get better over further after she responded to hard riding to stretch out late and win the group 3 Spring Stakes (1600m) for three-year-olds at Newcastle on Saturday.
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The Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Pierro filly raced midfield in a slowly run affair before coming four wide on the home turn.
Still grinding four lengths off the leaders inside the final 300 metres, Pierossa then sprinted best to win the $200,000 race by a third of a length from Chris Waller-trained Kazalark. Waller-prepared Robusto was third.
Pierossa's stakes victory, at just her sixth run, came after a last-start maiden win at Gosford over the mile on October 27.
"It was a tough win," Clipperton said.
"I've had a lot of time for the filly for a fair while and she's really progressed the more racing she's had.
"She only won a maiden at Gosford with not a lot of depth, but her work on Tuesday morning was first class.
"She's a filly you have to squeeze every little bit out of, but she really knuckles down under hard riding and I think this filly is going to be an even more mature filly in the autumn, and particularly once she gets up to those 2000m and beyond distances.
"She used to put on quite a show before the start and she got me at Canterbury at her first ever start, and she got beaten a nose that day.
"So now it's just about working with her and eliminating those habits and I must say with racing, she's gotten a lot better.
"She's not there yet but she's turning into a true professional."
Craig Kerry
Craig Kerry is a sports reporter for the Newcastle Herald.
Craig Kerry is a sports reporter for the Newcastle Herald.
