Pencarrow Racing is on fire with action at Awapuni yesterday seeing another winner, with Alentejo saluting the judge after taking her debut win in the $5,000 Gallagher Group Maiden over 1200 metres.

Trained by Steven Ramsay & Julia Ritchie, Alentejo (Spartacus x Virtus) raced on the pace before kicking away from the field to win by half-a-length in the hands of jockey Craig Grylls. Showing that she had a bit to offer at the trials where she won on 20 April, the daughter of Spartacus has been racing well but without much luck after being galloped on in her second start.

After being caught back in her last start and managing to finish less than a length away second, the win was much deserved with the four-year-old mare finally getting an untroubled run.

From a strong family, Alentejo is out of the Tale of the Cat mare Virtus, a half-sister to the dual Group 1 winner Star Dancer (Star Watch). It is also the same family as the Group 1 VRC Derby, Rosehill Guineas and Caulfield Stakes winner Naturalism (Palace Music) and the Group 2 winning filly Palacio De Cristal (Encosta de Lago).

Alentejo’s maiden win came from her seventh start; she has also notched up three placings in her short career for over $6,500 in stakes.