Pencarrow-bred mare Sovereign Rose (Pins x Pavan) returned to the winners circle with victory in a fresh state in the Rating 75 Stella Artois Mile (1600m) at Hastings on Saturday.

The daughter of Pins had been out of the winners circle for nearly a year and had not raced since late December but entered the race with the benefit of a third placing at the trials in March for trainer Jason Bridgman.

Ridden by apprentice jockey Michael Dee, the six-year-old mare settled at the back of the eight-horse field. Dee had to angle between runners and found clear air with 200m to go. Sovereign Rose pinned her ears back and overhauled the leader Nippin (Pins) with a determined finish to win by a neck with race-favourite Malrose (Mr Nancho) in third position.

“To be honest it was a bit of a surprise for her to be able to win fresh up at the mile,” commented Bridgman. “In the last couple of seasons she has looked a middle distance horse but she certainly has a trait of finding her best form in the autumn, particularly in April and May.

“It was a very good effort in a fresh state because they ran a good time and I think that was the key, as a 2000m horse she needed that really hard tempo to get over the top of them.

“She was off the bridle the whole way and when he got her in the open she didn’t really look like she was going to sprout wings. They ran 1.34.3 and that is a hell of a gallop so the pace of the race made it a staying race.

“The owners are really keen to get a chance at black-type if we can. She is a mare that requires reasonable tracks. Her rating isn’t really higher enough for stakes company but we will throw a nomination in for the Hawkes Bay Cup because there is really only that and the Rotorua Cup that offer her any opportunities.”

Saturday’s victory was the fourth from 28 starts for Sovereign Rose who has accumulated $31,325 in prizemoney for her owners D P & Mrs N E Hurst.

Bred by Sir Peter Vela and Philip Vela, Sovereign Rose is out of Group 1 New Zealand Oaks and Group 1 Australasian Oaks runner-up Pavan (Centaine), a daughter of Group 1 South Australian Oaks winner Marmalite (Wolverton).

Sovereign Rose is a half-sister to Listed Melbourne placegetter Let Loushe (Black Minnaloushe) and Almaviva (Catbird), the dam of this season’s Group 3 Counties Cup placegetter Atacama (Pentire).

David Ellis purchased Sovereign Rose for $280,000 at the 2009 Karaka Premier Sale from Pencarrow Stud.

Pavan was served by five-time Group 1 winner Darci Brahma last season.