Trainers Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray have always had plenty of time for Pearl Of Alsace and they are hoping she can fulfil her Group One potential at Ellerslie this weekend.
Bred and raced by Sir Peter Vela, the daughter of Tavistock has come a long way in just 12 starts, winning her first five outings, including the Group 3 Cuddle Stakes (1600m), and subsequently added a further two victories to her tally.
She placed in the Group 1 Livamol Classic (2040m) at Hastings last September, but her connections believe she has an elite-level win in her and are hoping she can do it on Saturday in the Group 1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes (1600m).
She takes winning form into the race, having taken out the Royal Descent Stakes (1600m) at Trentham earlier this month, and her trainers couldn't be happier with her ahead of her weekend assignment,
“She has only had 12 starts so she is the rookie of the field against the other mares who are pretty experienced,” Ritchie told Trackside NZ.
“She is a high-quality mare and is a Group One mare in waiting, and I hope for our sake that it is this weekend.
“I don't think we can get her in better order. She has got a great record second-up and she had a nice, soft kill first-up, so she has bounced away and improved off that.”