The unbeaten Elle Sourit added another shining chapter to her remarkable rise when she captured the Pearl Series Final over 1400 metres at Ellerslie on Saturday, rewarding her breeders and connections with a significant bonus on top of the race stake.
Already unbeaten in four appearances, the four-year-old mare by Ocean Park produced another polished performance to secure victory in the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series Final. Alongside the $120,000 stake money available for the race, the triumph carried a $100,000 bonus pool — with $70,000 awarded to the winner, $20,000 to the runner-up and $10,000 to the third placegetter.
For co-breeder and part-owner Carey Pearce, the success represents both a financial reward and the culmination of a long and sometimes challenging breeding journey with the mare’s dam.
Pearl Series Final triumph rewards patience
Elle Sourit was bred and is raced by a close-knit group of friends — Anne Barr, Janine Bell, Wayne Dempster and Pearce — who initially bought into her dam Bel Sorriso as a broodmare prospect once her racing career ended.
Bel Sorriso herself had modest beginnings, purchased for just $5,000 as a yearling at Karaka. She went on to win eight races during her career, highlighted by success in the Group Three Thompson Handicap over 1600 metres.
Pearce explained that the path from racehorse to broodmare had not always been smooth.
“When Bel Sorriso retired from racing, the four of us had the opportunity to buy into her as a breeding proposition,” Pearce said.
“The first foal we bred from her won in Australia, but we also lost two foals along the way. It hasn’t always been straightforward.”
Bel Sorriso was later paired with Ocean Park, producing Elle Sourit, while a subsequent mating with Contributer produced another promising youngster.
Pearl Series provides strong support for breeders
The Pearl Series Final success has also reinforced Pearce’s appreciation for the Pearl Series scheme, which supports Southern Hemisphere-bred fillies and mares racing in New Zealand.
“Until we bred a filly, I wasn’t greatly aware of the Pearl Series,” he said.
“We were fortunate to win a bonus with Elle Sourit earlier in her career, and to win the final as well is fantastic. For smaller breeders like us, that support is very valuable.”
Despite interest from outside parties keen to secure the unbeaten mare, her ownership group has remained committed to keeping her.
“We’ve had people approach us about buying her, but the group had no interest in selling,” Pearce explained. “Given how well she has performed, the possibility of breeding from her in the future is certainly something we will consider.”
Future targets for Elle Sourit
Decisions about the mare’s immediate racing plans will rest with trainer Andrew Forsman, though one possible next target could be the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes at Trentham on 28 March.
Pearce acknowledged the appeal of returning to that venue. “We have a bit of heritage with Trentham, so sentimentally it would be nice to go there,” he said. “But ultimately we will do what is best for the horse.”
Meanwhile, the final foal from Bel Sorriso is also beginning to show promise. Camerlengo, a Contributer colt, is scheduled to trial at Ellerslie on Tuesday under the care of trainers Conor and Sarah Fahy.
About the Pearl Series
The Pearl Series is designed to support fillies and mares racing in New Zealand, offering a network of bonus races across four seasons. The programme includes up to 100 individual races, each carrying bonus incentives for eligible runners. A winning owner receives a $20,000 bonus, while trainers and nominators each earn $1,000. Owners of second and third-placed horses also receive bonuses of $4,000 and $2,000 respectively.
The autumn-run Pearl Series Final at Ellerslie provides the centrepiece of the scheme, offering a $100,000 bonus pool and travel support for horses based in southern and central regions of the country. Early bird entries for yearling fillies born in 2024 close on March 31.
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