Pencarrow mare Rasa Lila (Darci Brahma) capped an admirable run of form against elite company with a deserved win in Saturday’s $100,000 Group 2 Travis Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa.

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Rasa Lila after winning the Tavis Stakes at Te Rapa. Photo Credit: Trish Dunell.

It was the second Travis Stakes win in five years for a horse owned by Pencarrow, with Dolmabache (Redoute’s Choice) claiming an upset win in 2012.

Rasa Lila’s victory on Saturday was emphatic, taking control in the straight and dashing away to win by three lengths from last year’s winner Abidewithme (Redoute’s Choice) and the well-performed mare Gesemi (Ekraar).

It was the seventh win of Rasa Lila’s career and her most significant victory to date. It came at the end of a season spent almost exclusively in stakes company, where she won the Group 3 Cuddle Stakes and placed in the Group 3 Eagle Technology Stakes, Group 2 Cal Isuzu Stakes and Group 1 Easter Stakes.

“She’s been racing in Group company all season,” co-trainer Steven Ramsay said. “She’s a very consistent mare and she deserved that. Leith Innes gave her a perfect ride and she won impressively.”

Bred and raced by Sir Peter Vela, Rasa Lila is out of the Sadler’s Wells mare Dance My Dance. Rasa Lila is a half-sister to another of Pencarrow’s black-type performers, the Group 3 Lowland Stakes winner Posavina (NZ) (Tiger Hill).