Group 1 placegetter Alsephina will make her return to racing in this Saturday's Group 2 Let's Elope Stakes (1400m) at Flemington.
The $300,000 event will be Alsephina’s first start since finishing sixth to Dom To Shoot in last year’s Northerly Stakes (1800m).
Prior to that, the Star Turn mare finished second to Bustler in the Railway Stakes (1600m).
The mare heads to Melbourne off the back of two trials behind Influencing and Lord Gannicus at Lark Hill on August 12 and 26 respectively.
Co-trainer Grant Williams said he saw enough improvement from the first trial to the second trial to warrant taking her to Melbourne.
“Everything has been good so far with her,” Williams told Racing WA Thoroughbreds.
“Her first trial wasn’t much good, but she had four pads on because we were looking after her feet.
“I thought her second trial was pretty good, but Willie (Pike) wasn’t overly happy she was beaten by Lord Gannicus.
“We can’t work her any better as of today.”
The Let’s Elope Stakes has been kind to mares that started their careers in Western Australia, with Kissonallforcheeks and Amelia’s Jewel winning in 2022 and 2023 respectively.
Williams also trained Arcadia Queen when she ran second in the 2020 edition of the race.
Group 1 winning mares Vibrant Sun and Quintessa headline nominations for this Saturday’s feature and have been allotted 58.5kg.
Alsephina is the highest rated horse nominated for the race but is treated kindly under the set weights and penalties conditions of the race and will carry the 55kg.
Williams said the conditions of the race, combined with Alsephina’s physical condition, made it an attractive starting point.
“The best thing about the race is the weight she will carry,” he said.
“Her feet are the best they’ve been, and she looks mint.
“I’m expecting her to go well on Saturday without being overconfident.”
Alsephina will follow the same path as Amelia’s Jewel and head to the Group 2 Stocks Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on September 27, before a possible tilt at the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) on November 2.
