The promising Pencarrow Racing galloper Arpeggio (Tavistock x Macchiato) showed real quality with a fresh-up victory in the $8,000 Stella Artios 1200 at Hawke's Bay yesterday.

The four-year-old mare benefited from a recent trial last month, having her first race-day start since May, to record her third victory from only six starts. The win takes her stakes tally to just short of $35,000 for owner Sir Peter Vela.

Starting from barrier 5, rider Darryl Bradley settled Arpeggio at the rear of the field on the outer. Improving out wide around the bend, the daughter of Tavistock let down impressively to win by a length-a-and-half over Shot in the Dark (Any Suggestion) with The Knight's Queen (Any Suggestion) a further two-and-quarters-lengths back in third.

The lightly tried mare has won her three races over 1200 metres and currently holds a nomination for January's Group 1 Thorndon Mile over 1600 metres for trainers Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards

"After a recent trial, we picked out that race to kick off her new campaign,” commented Richards. “She's a promising mare that will improve with time and we’d like to thank Sir Peter for giving her to us.”

Bred by Sir Peter Vela and Philip Vela, Arpeggio is out of winning mare Macchiato (Night Shift) who is a half-sister to stakes winner Filante Etoile (Soviet Star), winner of the Listed Metropolitan Handicap and runner-up in the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks. Arpeggio’s half-brother is Hard (Catbird), who won the Listed Oaklands Plate.

A full-brother to Arpeggio will be offered by Pencarrow Stud at the Karaka Premier Sale.