WA mare Alsephina following Pride Of Jenni’s lead to the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes at Flemington

It makes perfect sense for WA trainers Grant and Alana Williams to take the proven path towards Saturday’s Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes at Flemington.

A better barrier and the proven Pride Of Jenni lead-up program could give WA mare Alsephina her maiden Group 1 win in Saturday’s Empire Rose Stakes at Flemington.

Trainer Grant and Alana Williams sent Alsephina to Melbourne in September, tackling the same races as Pride Of Jenni did leading up to her breakout win in last year’s Empire Rose Stakes.

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Alsephina produced superior results to Pride Of Jenni, placing in the Let’s Elope Stakes and Toorak Handicap either side of her win in the Group 2 Stocks Stakes at The Valley.

Alsephina has made a strong impression on Melbourne punters with her three strong efforts, which have all been from wide barriers.

Fortune favoured Alsephina in the Empire Rose Stakes after she drew barrier six.

“If we were going to get a good barrier, it needed to be this week,” Grant Williams said.

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Williams said a freak accident forced Alsephina to miss the WA winter period but has turned out to be a blessing for the six-year-old.

“We had a couple of little issues with her over the summer carnival at home and we brought her back in the winter and cut her face in a float incident so she had to have some time off,” he said.

“But that has done her the world of good, because I don’t think we’ve ever had her in this sort of condition.”

Alsephina finished third in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap at Caulfield at her last run. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images

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Alsephina posted her second Group 1 placing when third to Antino in the Toorak Handicap at Caulfield on October 12.

Williams said he took some positives out of the race despite Antino’s runaway win.

“She copped a bit of a squash when she was going to make her run, which hindered her a little bit, and the horse that ran second (Craig) had the drop on her,” he said.

“She was beaten by two boys but she beat the mares so I took a little bit out of that.

“I was rapt with the way she went and she pulled up really well, which is a good thing.”

Top jockey Blake Shinn will regain the ride on Alsephina after he rode Antino to his Toorak Handicap win.

Williams said Shinn would have control of tactics in the Empire Rose Stakes.

“I realised pretty quickly that, and we do this at home as well, we put the good jockeys on the horses and they’ll put her where they think,” Williams said.

“I’m not going to go and make any plans with Blake.

“It would be nice to have half the field behind her but it all depends on where the chances are.”

Alsephina has remained solid at $11 in Ladbrokes’ early betting on the Empire Rose Stakes.

Originally published as WA mare Alsephina following Pride Of Jenni’s lead to the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes at Flemington