Pearls Back to Best for Toy Show Quality 2016

A representative from the Godolphin stable believes former top three-year-old Pearls is ready to return to her best when she kicks off her four-year-old season in the 2016 Toy Show Quality in Sydney on Saturday.

Group 2 winner Pearls is after a resuming win first-up in the 2016 Toy Show Quality at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart.

The John O’Shea-trained daughter of Exceed And Excel has won two of her nine career starts to date, most notably last September’s Group 2 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick.

She is back at the track on Saturday, one of 10 fillies and mares engaged for the $125,000 Group 3 Toy Show Quality (1300m) on Warwick Stakes Day.

After the Tea Rose win last Sydney Spring Racing Carnival, Pearls went on to run a close fourth when under a length off the Gai Waterhouse-trained winner Speak Fondly in the Group 1 Flight Stakes (1600m).

She has had five subsequent runs over a mediocre autumn campaign, her best result a second to Tempt Me Not on April 2 at Randwick in the Group 3 PJ Bell Stakes (1200m).

Pearls was last seen at the same track on April 16 when two lengths away seventh finishing mid-field as the beaten favourite behind Yattarna in the Group 3 James Carr Stakes (1400m).

She has been progressing well over her winter spell and comes into Saturday’s race first-up with the benefit of two recent Sydney trials.

In the latest heat from August 9 over 850m she crossed fifth to Thyme For Roses with Jason Collett aboard.

In the Toy Show Quality she will be ridden by Brenton Avdulla, his only previous sit on her being for her earlier off-season trial when fourth to Little Miss Brown on the Synthetic track at Warwick Farm in late July.

O’Shea’s assistant trainer Darren Beadman told Racenet he was impressed by her second trial and rates Pearls as a genuine chance to live up to her earlier potential from last season with the stable eyeing runs up to a mile this time in.

“She’s got that little bit more cover on her this time and that’s really going to stand her in good stead down the track,” he said.

“We’ll let her tell us where she’s headed but she’s given every indication that she could get out to a mile.

“She’s as fit as what John can get her first-up and she’s drawn well so she won’t have to do any work early and she’s got a good turn of foot.”

If she does come on well and shows potential over more metres a race like the $500,000 Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m) on September 17 or even the $1 million Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) on October 1 – both at Randwick – could come into play for Pearls.

In markets for the Toy Show Quality at Ladbrokes.com.au Pearls is currently rated a $6.50 chance from barrier two.

Sitting top of the Toy Show Quality odds at $3.90 is Dixie Blossoms who has placed in her two lead-up trial sat the track and market mover Elle Lou ($4.20) from the Chris Waller stables.

Back your favourites across the card at Sydney on Saturday online at Ladbrokes.com.au – home of Odds Boost!