First Winner for Pearl Series

The New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Pearl Series kicked off today with the first race in the Series taken out by Way In (NZ) (Thewayyourare) at Avondale, one of three horses nominated for the Bonus in the race.

The Shaune Ritchie trained filly raced professionally at her first raceday start to claim victory in the $7,000 NZB Insurance Pearl Series 2YO Bonus (800m) by a margin of two lengths for rider Sam Spratt.

The filly from the first crop of shuttle sire Theywayyouare came into the race having won her only trial and was able to find the rail from barrier two. She came around the corner close to the rail as many of the other two-year-olds raced greenly and Way In was able to scamper away for the win.

In addition to Way In receiving the lion’s share of the $7,000 prizemoney from the race, she earned an $8,000 Level C Bonus for being Pearl Series nominated.

Today was the first of 200 individual races for this crop that carry a Pearl Series Bonus. In this two-year-old season there are 15 races carrying the Level C bonus. Today’s winning owners receive $7,000 of the Bonus while the trainer earns $700 and the nominator collects $300.

Way In was carrying the famous colours of the Mitchell family who have a strong connection with the Ritchie family with Shaune’s father Frank training the 1986 Cox Plate winner. Owned by P J & S R Mitchell, R J de Lautour, G W Halse & A P Ritchie the filly earned $11,375, including the Bonus, for today’s winning effort.

With bonus money excluded from prizemoney counted towards Karaka Million entry, Way In has also gone to second on the Karaka Million Order of Entry behind today’s race rival Kschessinska (NZ) (Volksraad) who picked up a further $700 for finishing third following her win in the first two-year-old race of the season last month.

Today’s race saw two other horses get their name on the Karaka Million Leaderboard with Staccato (NZ) (Swiss Ace) and Palace Rock (NZ) (Fastnet Rock) both earning prizemoney at their first starts.