The Pencarrow bred Yours has taken his first win of the season on Saturday when beating a good field in the $20,000 Open Handicap Linepower Egmont Cup (2000m) at Hawera.

Trained by Bill Thurlow, Yours (NZ) (Van Nistelrooy x Pavan) came into the race with just an un-placed fresh up run at Taranaki late last month to his credit, but indicated that he is ready for a big season after proving too good for the field under jockey Kelly Myers which included some handy performers, winning the race by a head.

A horse that has been good enough to win on eight occasions, and compete in provincial cups in Hawke’s Bay and Manawatu, the eight-year-old has his sights set on taking that elusive black-type as he holds a nomination for the Group 3 New Zealand Cup (3200m) on November 12.

Yours has won in races up to 2200 metres and his pedigree suggests he will be competitive over the 3200m distance. His dam Pavan (Centaine) was runner-up in the New Zealand and Australasian Oaks, and his grand-dam Marmalitre (Wolverton) managed to go one better than her daughter in Australia when winning the South Australian Oaks.

Yours was purchased by his trainer Bill Thurlow for $11,000 from Curraghmore Stud at the 2006 Karaka Select Sale. His 38 starts have also seen him notch up five placings for stakes just shy of $90,000.

Pencarrow Racing had a close second on the weekend with Santangelo (NZ) (Lonhro x Lucky Be Lucky) running a length second in the Pertab Bloodstock Limited 1200 for trainers Steven Ramsay & Julia Ritchie.

Now a six-year-old, she is two runs into her preparation and despite not placing fresh up, she ran well at Hasting’s on Makfi Challenge Stakes day against some talented horses. She put two winning performances together late last season and is a mare that has competed at stakes level during her career.

She has taken six wins from her 27 starts for stakes of over $90,000.