She’s back. The Million Dollar Miss may not have set the track alight or broken records, but she’s back.
After 111 days away from the track, brilliant bitch She’s A Pearl made a successful return to racing and took the first step towards back-to-back Million Dollar Chase titles with victory at Goulburn on Friday afternoon.
The Andy Lord-trained superstar had not raced since winning the Grand Final of the postponed 2021 Chase at Wentworth Park on May 7, after first a seasonal spell, then a niggling injury, saw her spent time on the sideline.
But she was back at Goulburn, admittedly not looking her absolute best as she was led early, before working her way to the lead into the back turn, then racing away swinging for home, before holding on to score by a half-length from Father Rick in 24.78s.
“The season we expected but we didn’t expect her to tear her hip down low and we had to deal with that before the other big race (the GRNSW Southern Stars) and we had to pull her out of that, so its been a good effort today,” Lord said.
“She’s only had the one 350 and a few up my straight and she felt the run, she really felt the run.
“I don’t think the time means anything, especially for a bitch like her. This style of racing doesn’t suit her, she’s probably winning because of ability and the way she wants to Chase, but just to get back here and win with her is good.
“You don’t think anything when they first come on season, then you start comparing them with others from over the years, where you have the odd bitch that doesn’t come back, they want to be mothers or don’t come back as good, and you worry about that. Then halfway through and you think yeah she’s flying, she’s jumping out of her skin, you trial her and she tears her hip and then it all starts again.
“You always wonder when they are going to come back and if they are going to come back as good. She’s not really a trial dog so you are in the lap of the gods, but she’s come back and she blew up a lot after the race, so I expect a big improvement next week."
While She’s A Pearl will no doubt be improved by the run, she won’t have it all her won way in the final next Friday despite drawing box one in the event.
The second heat went to Aston Barak - winner of the inaugural GRNSW Southern Stars final at the track last month - in impressive fashion, clocking 24.66s in a 6¼ length, all-the-way victory over Crowdza Dazzled with She’s A Pearl’s kennelmate Doonan rattling home for a good third.
“He got the start right, got a nice clear run and went well,” trainer Jason Fletcher said.
On his main rival, She’s A Pearl, Fletcher said: “It was a great run first up for a long time and I’m sure there is plenty of improvement in her still to come.”
