"Plenty more to come from her," said a delighted Sara Ryan after the eye-catching performance by the lightly raced and exciting filly Girl With A Pearl in Saturday's Gr.2 Wakeful Stakes at Flemington.
One of just six named foals from the second crop of the now Wyadup Valley based stallion Johannes Vermeer, Girl With A Pearl was having just her third start for Ryan who is confident that there is plenty of improvement to come.
"She is still very much a work in progress - I genuinely believe that she is a horse who will only continue to improve with time and maturity," she said.
De Armas runs straight past them in the Wakeful Stakes! @cwallerracing @blake_shinn @FlemingtonVRC @OTIRacing https://t.co/ohGpCeNNQe
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 31, 2026
Ryan has been a fan of Girl With A Pearl since first laying eyes on her, describing the three-year-old as "a beautiful filly - both physically and mentally."
"She is the complete opposite of what you'd typically expect from a chestnut filly!" she laughed.
"She has the loveliest temperament - she is an absolute pleasure to do anything with and she takes everything in her stride."
"She has a great attitude towards her work and just keeps stepping up every time we ask a little more of her."
"She is really exciting," Ryan said, happy to give Girl In A Pearl who was not nominated for the VRC Oaks time.
"She will go to the paddock and we will aim her at the ATC Oaks."
Riding Girl With A Pearl for the first time was Jett Stanley who was impressed.
"She ran out of her skin," he said.
"I was worried at the 800m when I had to start asking for her but her toughness and ability really showed through as she relished the line."
The progeny of Johannes Vermeer are showing excellent early signs and he is certainly a well credentialled stallion; winning a French Gr.1 1400m contest as a two-year-old, he is by Galileo from an outstanding family.
Racing four times in Australia, he put on display his talent and toughness with great runs in the Gr.1 Caulfield Stakes (only just beaten by Gailo Chop), the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (third), the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (a gutsy second to Rekindling who was carrying 3kg less) and the Gr.2 Blamey Stakes (a close-up fourth).
Johannes Vermeer relocated to Wyadup Valley Farm near Lancefield in 2023 and the stud's Trevor Delroy could not be happier with the quality of his progeny.
"They have his class and style and we are confident that he will sire tough horses with a turn of foot," he said.
Girl With A Pearl is an excellent early representation of the breed and the best is still to come for Johannes Vermeer. For further information contact Trevor Delroy on 0439 403 758 or Ian Macpherson on 0404 839 453.
