Paul Pierce© Photo Healy Racing
Alsa Mix, impressive when landing an Aghabullogue point-to-point earlier this month, will have her next date in public in the sales ring at Cheltenham in mid-February.
On debut at the County Cork venue, the French-bred grey put her home reputation on the line.
She had many followers in the betting ring, hardening from an opening show of 5-1 into 9-4 favouritism.
And with Jimmy O'Rourke in the plate, six-year-old Alsa Mix justified the pre-race confidence in the older mares' maiden with a 10-length defeat of Cloone Lady.
"There's been a bit of interest in her since, and I'm not surprised as she's the best we've ever had by a mile," said trainer Paul Pierce.
"She's a lovely mare. She's got loads of ability and she can go on to better things than point-to-pointing.
"We couldn't see her being beaten at Aghabullogue.
"Jamie Codd had schooled her for us before and he's ridden plenty of winners and schooled plenty of horses in his time.
"This was the first time he got very excited about one of ours, though.
"That was enough to heighten confidence for us. He couldn't see her beaten. He said she wouldn't come off the bridle and that's what happened."
The Pierce family have had some good horses through their hands over the years, and Paul reflected: "All Currencies, a winner at Newbury recently, won first time out for us in a point-to-point in 2016. She's a nice mare but we'd rate Alsa Mix on another level.
"Jamie Codd won on All Currencies for us, too, but he never spoke of her in the same way as he did about Alsa Mix.
"People that were impressed by her win will be even more impressed when they see her. She's a fine big mare with a lovely step.
"It was very gluey ground the day she won which she wouldn't have been in love with.
"Anyway, the good ones can overcome such things. She was ready to go at that stage, and when that's the case you just want to run them. We were happy to go once it was safe for her."
