Just a head separated Talkanco and Yes Queen in a thrilling clash on the weekend, and punters can’t split them in the lead-up to the Karrakatta Plate (1200m), with both sitting atop online betting markets as the key contenders for WA’s premier juvenile race.

Talkanco edged out Yes Queen in a gripping Group 3 Gimcrack Stakes (1100m) on Saturday, prevailing by just half a head in a strong finish that showcased both fillies’ potential.

Brad Parnham had Talkanco parked midfield before launching her run, while William Pike dropped Yes Queen out to last from a wide draw and stormed home down the outside.

The duo hit the line locked together, with a wide gap back to third-placed Loves Talking, highlighting the class of the top two.

Yes Queen remains the $3.40 favourite for the Karrakatta Plate, while Talkanco sits just behind at $5 in early betting.

Yes Queen posted the fastest final 600m of the race, clocking 33.72 seconds, but Dan Pearce was quick to praise Talkanco’s determination in the closing stages.

“She hit the front well and everything went to plan with Yes Queen rallying late, but I think our girl went with it,” Dan Pearce said on Tabradio.

“That last 50m and through the line she rallied again with her, so really happy and looking forward to two weeks’ time.

“From the gate we were thinking we want to ride her mid to second half and have a run building to a Karrakatta Plate being her grand final.

“I thought she ran true.

“We weren’t going to be gassing her rolling forward and finding a spot, we were happy with how she went to the races.

“She’s where she needs to be fitness wise and everything and we’ll try and keep her in one piece for two weeks.

“She’s got a big engine, and I think she’ll be more than competitive and right for the grand final.”

Talkanco had finished behind Yes Queen and Luana Miss in the Supremacy Stakes, but turned the tables with a strong win on Saturday.

Heading into the Karrakatta Plate, Talkanco holds a solid record of two wins and two placings from four starts, with earnings of $233,640.

The Pearce brothers know what it takes to win this race, having prepared Dig Deep to take out the feature in 2019.

Run at Group 2 level for $500,000 in prizemoney, the Karrakatta Plate is the highlight for two-year-olds in Western Australia and forms part of the undercard to the $5 million Kia-Quokka (1200m) on April 26 at Ascot.