Philly fan Pearce back at Chelmsford - minus allowance at last

Simon Pearce has his first ride without an allowance when he partners Bartholomew J at Chelmsford on Friday evening, after gaining winner number 95 in memorable circumstances 3,500 miles away in Philadelphia on Monday – 11 long years after his first success.

Pearce, the youngest 31-year-old in the weighing room and who is still regularly asked for ID, had been stuck on 94 since gaining a second win of the year on Bartholomew J, who is trained by his mother Lydia, at Yarmouth at the end of May.

His career has been interrupted by two serious injuries, but he admits he should at least have got there earlier this year and said: "Bartholomew J should have won four this year, not two, but once it was his fault and once it was mine. There's still more in the tank."

Pearce, who steps into the boxing ring next Saturday to fight Nicky Mackay at a charity boxing event in aid of Mackay's father Allan, had spoken in the summer of retiring from the saddle once he had ridden out his claim.

However, while he has already completed the training modules in readiness for one day taking over from his mother, he might first return to the US for a three-month spell riding in Florida if he can get the appropriate visas.

Explaining how Monday's winner came about – and how it has possibly changed his immediate plans – Pearce said: "I love racing in the States and I've been at Santa Anita, Hollywood Park and Belmont, but it was on my first ever visit that I met Raymond Handal, ten years ago almost to the month.

"I was riding out for Michael Matz in Florida and Raymond showed me the ropes. He said then that I'd ride a winner for him one day when he was training himself, and he was as good as his word.

"He rang when there was a shortage of jockeys at Parx racecourse and said a horse called Pirellone was the nearest thing to a certainty if I wanted to come over to Philadelphia to ride it. I'd nothing else on so I went over on Sunday, won on him on Monday and came back on Wednesday.

"Raymond is now taking 15 horses down to Tampa for a few months and says I can ride them if I want. It's such a different life for jockeys there compared to here, and I'd love to."

First, though, there is that boxing match – Pearce's second.

He said: "I fought Willie [William] Carson last year and fancied my chances, but I was like one of those two-year-olds who show it all on the gallops and then freeze first time out on the track. I'm better than that, but it's all for a very good cause whatever happens."

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