Pencarrow Broodmare Paddock Calling for Pearl of Alsace

Media Release - Monday March 24

Pearl Of Alsace came desperately close to a fairytale finish to her racing career, with the Group One performer retiring off the back of a second placing in Saturday’s Gr.3 Cuddle Stakes (1600m).

Group One performer Pearl Of Alsace has been retired.  Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)

A serious talent from day one, the daughter of Tavistock rose rapidly through the grades in her first racing preparation for trainers Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray, winning her first five appearances culminating in the 2023 edition of the Cuddle Stakes. Stepping up to elite-level in the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m), she lost no admirers finishing a luckless fourth.

Bred and owned by Sir Peter Vela of Pencarrow Stud, Pearl Of Alsace secured her all-important Group One placing in the Livamol Classic (2050m) and performed admirably in her only start in Australia, finishing fourth to Deny Knowledge in the Gr.2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m).

Her final season on the track produced a placing in the Gr.2 Tauranga Stakes (1600m) and a booming effort to only just fall short to Our Jumala at Trentham on Saturday, indicative of her consistency at the highest level.

From just 21 starts, she bows out with seven wins, four minor placings and just shy of $400,000 in stakes.

“She couldn’t have run any better on Saturday, she just came up short by a nose, but sectionally, she was outstanding,” Vela’s racing manager Garry Cossey said. “She’s going out on a good note.

“She’s certainly done Pencarrow proud, and she’s been a great mare - Group One placed and a Cuddle Stakes winner. She also ran fourth in a Group Two in Melbourne, so she’s done a fantastic job in the time that she has been racing.

“Sir Peter got an offer on her before she even raced, but we asked Shaune if he thought she could get black-type, and he believed she most certainly could. She won first-up at Taranaki and then went bang-bang-bang, that first season was great, culminating in the Cuddle and an unlucky fourth in the Breeders’ Stakes.”

Advertisement

Out of Group Two-performing mare Irion, Pearl Of Alsace has the pedigree to match her ability, setting her in good stead for her next chapter in the broodmare paddock.

“She was always a nice filly and a good genuine horse, we were always hopeful of her reaching Group class which is what she did,” Vela said.

“We’re very proud of her, she’s done really well, and she’ll be a beautiful broodmare. We thought she looked as good as a horse could look on Saturday and the time is right for her to go and think about other things.

“We tried with Proisir last season, but she’ll go back into the bundle now and we’ll go through all of the stallions that are available to her. We will see which one we feel will make the best mate and keep our fingers crossed.”

Pearl Of Alsace will join Irion in Pencarrow’s broodmare band, with the dam visiting Cambridge Stud’s shuttle stallion Chaldean in her most recent mating.

“He has a beautiful pedigree and was a lovely racehorse, we’re very lucky to have him in New Zealand,” Vela said.

“To have a horse of that quality and that pedigree, it was a gift.” LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Red Right Out Wins MM Queensland Qualifier
The 2026 Pacific Fair Magic Millions Polo & Showjumping will feature the third annual Queensland Off-The-Track Cup (QOTT) final on Sunday, 11 January 2026 at Doug Jennings Park on the Gold Coast. 
Promising 2YOs for Pike
Tony Pike found it difficult to split his juvenile charges the last time they took each other on and it’s the same story at Ruakaka.
$3million Won Through Inglis Xtra Bonus
A staggering $3m has now been won as part of the Inglis Xtra Bonus Series following today’s victory by the Cody Morgan-trained 3YO Considered at Dubbo.
Big Pedigrees Don’t Always Spell Black Type
The breeding of thoroughbreds is a very inexact science which is why we saw siblings to a pair of Group I winners fighting out the finish of a very pedestrian 1100m maiden at Ballarat on Sunday.
Vinery Stud Announce Adam White as Interim Manager
From the 1st of July, Vinery Stud is pleased to announce the appointment of Adam White as Interim General Manager, following the resignation of Peter Orton. A dedicated and long-standing member of the Vinery team, Adam brings a wealth of experience and an in-depth understanding of both the business and the industry to this pivotal role.
Sires With Winners - Saturday June 28
Here is the full list of 109 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Euro G1 – Bridesmaid No More and Two Time Derby Hero
Aga Khan Studs don’t race a lot of geldings, but one that they do is Calandagan, who shook off his G1 bridesmaid tag winning the Group I Grand Prix de Saint Cloud in France, while in Ireland the Coolmore machine kept the winning run going to take out the Group I Irish Derby (1 ½ m).
How Much for a Snitzel Colt from Winx?
The record price for a yearling by the late champion sire Snitzel stands at $2.8million, but that benchmark looks set to be smashed at Inglis Easter next year.
Sires With Winners - Friday June 27
Here is the full list of 48 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Unbeaten So You Think 3YO WA's New Excitement Machine
One month to the day since he first set foot on a racecourse, So You Think’s three year old son  Opportunistic remains undefeated from three starts, is a dual stakes winner with earnings of $200,250 to his name, and is WA's new rising star of the turf.