Quality mare Pearl Of Alsace is back on track to open her spring campaign ahead of a later than originally anticipated involvement in the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival. 

Tavistock’s daughter will resume on Saturday in the Harcourts Bream Bay (1400m) at Ruakaka where stablemate and Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) hopeful Mahrajaan will also be in action in the Harcourts Tai Tokerau Cup (2200m). 

The Sir Peter Vela-bred and raced Pearl Of Alsace failed to trial to the satisfaction of trainers Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray at Taupo last month, but they have been encouraged by her subsequent progress. 

“She came back from a spell in superb condition, she put a lot of weight on and with muscle comes a bit of fat that we’ve had to work off,” Ritchie said. 

“We got her rolling and ran out of time to get her fit enough for the Group One (Tarzino Trophy, 1400m) first-up. 

“They just don’t win when they blow that hard after under-performing in a barrier trial. 

“Since the trial, she’s had a sizzling exhibition gallop at Cambridge last week and she’s currently up at the beach and had a good gallop on Wednesday morning.” 

Ritchie is confident she can make her presence felt at Ruakaka before attention turns to Hawke’s Bay. 

“She will strip ready enough for this race for sure and obviously we are expecting her to improve and be at her peak for the final leg at Hastings (Gr.1 Livamol Classic, 2040m),” he said. 

“Kelly Myers is going to ride her and it’s a good booking, she is riding very well. 

“She is going to need to perform on Saturday and I am confident that she will and then we’ll go to the Arrowfield Stud Plate (Gr.1, 1600m) before the Livamol.”  

The stable’s 3200m specialist Mahrajaan will be second-up in the Harcourts Tai Tokerau Cup (2200m) after delivering a pleasant surprise when a resuming third on the course over 1400m. 

“I expected him to run last when it started raining, I was worried that he wouldn’t get going at all,” Ritchie said. 

“Every prep we’ve given him he’s come back with his head down lower and hit the line stronger and it’s encouraging signs that he can round a race off like he did the other day. 

“We’re getting him up over ground earlier than most Melbourne Cup (Gr.1, 3200m) aspirants. 

“He has compressed the weights, but we’d like to bank a bit of money for the flight over and the accommodation and he’s ready to run a big race.” 

As long as he performs up to expectations, Mahrajaan will cross the Tasman to continue his build-up. 

“If he goes well, he will have his next run in Melbourne and I’m keen to give him a look at Flemington, so he’ll run in the Bart Cummings (Gr.3, 2500m),” Ritchie said. 

“After that, I thought a race like the Moonee Valley Gold Cup (Gr.2, 2500m) might suit because it’s set weights and penalties and falls 10 days before the Melbourne Cup.” 

Meanwhile, the stable’s rising staying star Nereus will spearhead the team at Hastings where he runs in the Livamol – International Health Products Premier (1600m) under Opie Bosson following his resuming fifth. 

“He didn’t cop the Ruakaka track last time and he had a good blow and he’s improved a good deal,” Ritchie said. 

“He should be extremely competitive and we’ve decided to put the blinkers back on him. We’ve only done that once and he accelerated quickly at Trentham to win by three and a-half lengths. 

“We’ll make a call after Saturday and we’re hoping to get him to Melbourne, but he’s got to get up in the ratings, so this is a race we’re keen to try and win. 

“We’ll get some advice from Opie whether we need to use the blinkers when we step to 2000m plus.” 

The Waikato Stud-bred and raced Nereus won four times last preparation, including victory in the Gr.2 Awapuni Gold Cup (2100m) before finishing sixth in the Listed Mornington Cup (2100m).