The well-bred and highly talented Pencarrow mare Cote D’Or (NZ) (Makfi) added black type to her CV with a superb come-from-behind win in Saturday’s $50,000 Listed Team Wealleans Matamata Cup (1600m).

The Ken and Bev Kelso-trained mare had won all of her last three starts leading into Saturday’s race, which was her first attempt at stakes level. She rose to the challenge in outstanding style, charging home from near the back of the field for a long-hed victory.

“I know it’s a big statement, but she could be the best mare we’ve had,” Ken Kelso said. “But I just think she’s a very smart horse. She’s putting things together now and she’s got an exhilarating turn of foot. I think she has bigger things in store.”

Cote D’Or has now had 14 starts for seven wins, one second and three thirds, earnings prize-money of $110,510.

Cote D’Or is out of Our Echezeaux (NZ) (Zabeel), the dam of stakes winners Dolmabache (NZ) (Redoute’s Choice) and Pure Elegance (NZ) (Redoute’s Choice). She is also a three-quarter sister to Romanee Conti (NZ) (Sir Tristram), a multiple stakes winner and the dam of Caulfield and Melbourne Cup heroine Ethereal (NZ) (Rhythm).

Cote D’Or comes from one of Pencarrow’s finest families, with Our Echezeaux being a sister to Grand Echezeaux (NZ) – a Group One winner herself, and the dam of Group One winner and top sire Darci Brahma (NZ) (Danehill), as well as the multiple stakes winner Burgundy (NZ) (Redoute’s Choice) and stakes-placed Saperavi (NZ) (Stravinsky).

Our Echezeaux is a three-quarter sister to Romanee Conti (NZ) (Sir Tristram) another high-class racemare who is the dam of champion mare Ethereal (NZ) (Rhythm). Ethereal is the granddam of the multiple Group 3 winner Eleonora (NZ) (Makfi), who finished a close fourth in the Matamata Cup.