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By Ray Hickson

A lot of thought has gone into classy WA mare Alsephina’s Sydney autumn campaign and co-trainer Grant Williams expects her to be very competitive with her former Perth compatriot Amelia’s Jewel at Randwick on Saturday.

The six-year-old’s immediate target is the Group 1 Coolmore Classic in two weeks so he has her well prepared first-up for the Group 2 $300,000 Proven Thoroughbreds Guy Walter Stakes (1400m).

Alsephina shares second favouritism at $8 with Amelia’s Jewel in the Coolmore but the latter is $2.30 favourite for the Guy Walter as opposed to her $4.20.

Williams, who co-trains with Alana Williams, said Alsephina is a lot fitter than when she resumed at 1400m in the spring.

“She’s a good mare and I think she’s got better with the travelling she’s done over the last 12 months,’’ he said.

“I think she’s a bit better, we’ve got her a bit fitter. She had a good long spell before the Melbourne campaign and had a lot of condition on.

“Her trials weren’t that good to the extent that Willie (Pike) opted not to come and ride her.

“Her trial at Pinjarra this time was really good and she’s had another private trial.”

A solid hit out from classy mare, Alsephina. Scheduled to have another trial before embarking on a Sydney campaign. @santassnippets @tabtouch @perthracing pic.twitter.com/ynavd13UJM

— Racing WA Thoroughbred (@RacingWA_Tbreds) January 28, 2025

Alsephina's trial at Pinjarra. Video: Racing WA Thoroughbred (X)

That second trial was essentially a jump out at Ascot and prior to arriving in Sydney she worked in the clockwise direction at Mornington to Willliams’ liking.

He said Alsephina, a winner of 10 from 19 with seven placings, is a mare that seems to take everything in her stride and he’s looking forward to seeing how she shapes up alongside Amelia’s Jewel having finished a couple of lengths behind her when they met in the spring.

“She had our measure in the Empire Rose but we had a couple of little hiccups in that,’’ he said.

“It’d be pretty brave saying we can beat Amelia’s Jewel but I reckon we’ll be pretty close to her.

“She’s been in harder races so that’s not going to bother her but she has to go around the other way which is a question mark.

“We galloped her at Mornington on Tuesday and she changed legs pretty easily.”

Williams has only raced horse in Sydney once before, he saddled up Windstorm and Superstorm in the 2020 Golden Eagle.

Kerrin McEvoy rides Alsephina and Williams said he’d expect Amelia’s Jewel to cross from her outside gate and land on the speed so he’s hoping his mare can find her back.

That’s in an ideal world, and he said if he’s able to beat the favourite it bodes well for the Coolmore Classic.

“To me it looked like she could probably lob in the one-one from that gate,’’ he said.

“I thought she could get a great trip. You’d think she will get better next start so if she’s winning that’d be great.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s meeting at Randwick