Unbeaten Tavistock Mare Wins G3 Cuddle

Media Release - Saturday March 18

Talented mare Pearl Of Alsace extended her unbeaten run to five when she stepped up to stakes company with a narrow victory in the Gr.3 Wentwood Grange Cuddle Stakes (1600m) a Trentham.

Pearl Of Alsace (middle) fights off Aromatic (inner) and Bad ā€˜n’ Bouj to win the Gr.3 Wentwood Grange Cuddle Stakes (1600m) Photo: Race Images – Peter Rubery

The Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray-trained four-year-old went into the Group Three feature off the back of four straight victories to open her career and took things to a new level with a performance that underlined just how strong her will to win is.

Given a lovely run in midfield by Ashvin Goindasamy, the daughter of Tavistock loomed into contention mid-stretch but immediately had a fight on her hands as Aromatic and Bad ‘n’ Bouj came with her.

Pearl Of Alsace dug deep and staved off both challengers to win by a nose and uphold the huge opinion Ritchie has of her.

“She is a fantastic mare. We keep raising the bar and she keeps climbing over it,” Ritchie said.

“If you go back through her form the horses behind her haven’t been that flash, but stepping up to a Cuddle Stakes after winning her maiden just four starts ago is a big ask and she has done it.

“You watch her trackwork at home and it is just exceptional as she gives you as much or as little as you ask of her and she is a delight to train.”

Ritchie will sit down and discuss the immediate plans for the mare with owner Sir Peter Vela and his racing manager, Garry Cossey, but is leaning towards giving her a short break.

“It’s hard to know what next as we don’t know where her level is,” he said.

“She has a big heart and although we will wait to see how she pulls up, I would be keen to give her  a little break now as she had to fight hard today.

Advertisement

“She is racing up the ratings very quickly so we need to let her catch up with experience.”

Goindasamy was full of praise for his mount, who he rides regularly in trackwork as well.

“I’ve known how good a horse I’ve had underneath me since I started riding her in work,” he said.

“She has good potential as she is only a four-year-old and she will keep getting better and better.

“She is just so relaxed and coming to the turn she was off the bridle, but once I gave her a slap she just changed gears.

“I think she deserves a break now and she is going to be even better next season.”

Bred and raced by Pencarrow Stud’s Sir Peter Vela, Pearl Of Alsace is out of the stakes-placed Danroad mare Irion who is also the dam of unbeaten Zoustar two-year-old filly Zourian who took out the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at her last start.

Ritchie outlaid $260,000 to secure the Super Seth half-sister from the Pencarrow Stud draft at the New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale at Karaka earlier this year. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Magic Millions First Digital Sale - Opportunities Aplenty
Bidding is now open for the first Magic Millions Digital Sale with opportunities across all levels of the market for prospective buyers.
In Foal to Proisir - Pearl of Alsace Chasing G1 Win
Pearl Of Alsace is in foal and entering the final few weeks of her racing career, but trainers Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray hope a return to her favourite track might allow her to cap her CV with a Group One breakthrough.
A Century of NZB National Yearling Sales Success: Cox Plate
Moonee Valley’s A$6m Group One WS Cox Plate (2040m) is known as the weight-for-age championship of Australasia and has been won by many of Australia and New Zealand’s greatest thoroughbreds.
Melbourne Cup Next for UK Raider Onesmoothoperator
Winner of the Group III Geelong Cup last year at his first Australian appearance, UK trained stayer Onesmoothoperator (USA) had not won a race since then but was back in the winning groove last night take out the $750,000 Group II MVRC Moonee Valley Cup (2500m).
Pearl of Alsace Chasing G1 Finale
Well-performed mare Pearl Of Alsace will have conditions to suit on Saturday in her quest to add a major title to her CV before the curtain comes down on her career.
Second Wootton Bassett Son Added to Coolmore Stallion Roster for 2026
Set to join Camille Pissarro as the second G1 winning son of Wootton Bassett on the stallion roster for Ireland in 2026 is Henri Matisse, who this time last year was about to claim his first G1 victory at the Breeders Cup meeting at Del Mar.
Good News Week for Geisel Park
Geisel Park’s black-type mare Laced Up Heels is in foal off a maiden cover to Champion Australian Sire Zoustar and an orphan foal has found a new mum.
Pencarrow Mare Chasing More Black Type
Classy mare Pearl Of Alsace will have an opportunity to get back in the winning groove at New Plymouth on Saturday, tackling the Gr.3 Denis Wheeler Earthmoving Taranaki Cup (1800m).
NZB Breeze Up Footage Now Available to View Online
The highly anticipated Breeze Up videos for NZB’s 2025 Ready to Run Sale are now available to view online at nzb.co.nz.
Unbeaten Blueblood Mare Aiming Up at G1
The Gr.3 Cuddle Stakes (1600m) was originally viewed as Pearl Of Alsace’s grand final, but the unbeaten mare has since convinced connections to raise the bar one more time.