Pencarrow Racing and trainers Steven Ramsay & Julia Ritchie celebrated a successful day at Taupo today with Devillaine and Chevremont racing to convincing victories and North Of Sunset and Vandenne claiming second placings.

The Darci Brahma four-year-old Devillaine (ex Anatomy) didn’t escape the attention of punters today as they wanted little else in the race, backing him into a hot $2 favourite.

Devillaine produced a fair fourth on debut in March earlier this year and came into today’s 1000 metre race after a winning trial at Te Teko. Today’s race saw a different Devillaine than the horse that debuted in March as he was dominant in the race, taking cover in transit and running away to a commanding two-and-a-quarter length win under jockey Jason Waddell.

“He was still quite fresh in his race today but in the end he was way too good,” commented co-trainer Steven Ramsay. “He has a good deal of brilliance about him and I think he will make his way through the grades pretty quickly.

“We will step him up to 1200 metres at his next start and see how he goes from there.”

Bred by Peter and Philip Vela, Devillaine is from the Group 3 winning mare Anatomy (Thunder Gulch) and is a half-brother to the Pencarrow bred stakes-placed Left Standing (Stravinsky). His grand-dam is the dual Group 1 winning mare Maurine (Harbor Prince), dam of last season’s Group 2 Wellington Cup winner Six O’Clock News (Zabeel).

Anatomy’s latest foal is a two-year-old colt named Dane's Anatomy (Danehill Dancer) who was purchased by David Ellis from Pencarrow Stud at the 2012 Karaka Premier Sale for $200,000.

The lightly raced Chevremont (No Excuse Needed x Figeac) never saw daylight in her last race when running ninth at Te Aroha and she too was backed into favouritism at $4 in her 1400 metre race.

Jockey Samantha Collett rode a brilliant race on the mare, sticking to the rails on the turn and putting Chevremont over a length clear at the top of the straight. The four-year-old was clearly headed in the straight by rival Karaka Jack (Darci Brahma) but fought back in an impressive display to win by a short neck.

“It was a great ride by Sam,” commented Ramsay. “She got the gap on the rails and that really put her into the race. That was Chevremont’s first win and she is going nicely so we may look to give her another start before deciding if we kick on or give her a rest.”

Chevremont is out of the Zabeel mare Figeac who is a half-sister to the Group 3 winner Lord Pyrus (Pyrus) and stakes winners Darcybee (Fasliyev) and Tehama (Centaine). Figeac was not served in 2010 and was covered by Iffraaj last season.

North Of Sunset (Red Ransom) ran a game second place at just her second start today producing a good finish just 1.5 lengths from the winner Tesouro (Captain Rio). Vandenne (Van Nistelrooy) also produced a good performance second up finishing two-and-three-quarter lengths from the winner Wai Not (Riviera).

Pencarrow also bred the winner of the last race; the Jeff McVean & Emma-Lee Browne trained Speedy Rocket, who made it a winning treble for the Pencarrow bred sire Darci Brahma at the Taupo meeting today.