Great Pearl wins four on the trot

Pearl Bloodstock's Great Pearl landed his fourth straight win yesterday when successful in an open race over 2,000m on dirt at Hanshin.

His Mitsu Nakauchida-trained stablemate, Pearl Code, will bid to match the feat when running in a Group Three event at Nakayama today.

Great Pearl was ridden by Ryuji Wada to a three-quarters of a length success over Cosmo Canadian, and there was a further nine lengths back to third-placed Matenro Boss nine ran.

The colt is unbeaten on dirt, following a win and two unplaced efforts on turf. Switched to dirt he won three races at Kyoto before today's success.

Pearl Code, like Great Pearl a purchase at the 2013 JRHA Select Sale, tackles the Nakayama Himba Stakes over 1,800m on turf. Yuga Kawada rides the four-filly filly, who has been drawn widest of the 16-runner field. Nakauchida was taking a positive out of that situation, when saying: ‚"Pearl Code is usually good from the gate, so she should be able to get a good position she is well and fit enough for a seasonal comeback.‚"

Last seen in mid-November, Pearl Code was fourth of 15 in the Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup on that occasion.

In Australia yesterday, Qatar Bloodstock's high-class horse Arod finished unplaced in the Gr.2 Ajax Stakes at Rosehill, and Hursley had little luck in running when second at Flemington. Both horses are trained by Chris Waller.

Ridden by Joao Moreira, Hursley became hemmed in on the fence and was unable to get out in time to catch winner Aloft, who scored by three-quarters of a length, with Dodging Bullets just over a length further back in third ten ran.

Aloft proved a very talented operator in Europe before moving to Australia while trained by Aidan O'Brien he won the Queens Vase at Royal Ascot having finished second to Qatar Racing's Elm Park in the Gr.1 Racing Post Trophy.