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Exquisite Jewel will take another step toward Riccarton on Thursday when she makes her second appearance for the season.

The well-related classic hopeful is expected to appreciate the improved track conditions at Otaki where she runs in the Rating 65 NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race.

“She’s second-up and she has improved with her race at Wanganui,” said Sue Walsh, who prepares the filly with Bruce Gregory.

“It will be a better track and she holds a nomination for the 1000 Guineas and that’s the goal so we’ll see how she copes with the mile.”

A daughter of Lucky Unicorn, Exquisite Jewel is out of a Montjeu mare from the famed Eight Carat family and despite her rich bloodlines, she was a Karaka snip at a paltry $400.

“She was a bargain buy all right,” Walsh said. “There’s nothing wrong with her conformation and they (the syndicate) couldn’t believe it when they got her – they just looked at each other and thought you’re joking!”

Exquisite Jewel finished sixth on debut last season and was turned out after she had won at Hastings in April. She resumed at Wanganui last month with a solid effort for fifth.

“She’s one of those horses that never does anything wrong and she’s easy to train and to have about the place,” Walsh said.

Exquisite Jewel will be up against last-start winners Lincoln Inn and Carlton Princess at Otaki, while the topweight Faint Praise is another with good form credentials.

She broke her maiden in a highweight at Waverley two runs back and was then narrowly denied at Woodville where she finished runner-up after conceding the winner three and a-half kilos.