Well-performed Pencarrow mare Sleeping Beauty (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) became a black-type winner with a deserved victory in Saturday’s $70,000 Group 3 ISCL Rotorua Stakes (1400m).

It was the ninth victory in a 22-start career that has also included a close second to Volpe Veloce (Foxwedge) in the Group 2 Westbury Classic (1400m) in January, a third in the Group 2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) in November and a close-up sixth in the Group 1 Sistema Railway (1200m) on New Year’s Day. She also placed in last season’s Listed Opunake Cup (1400m).

Saturday’s victory was a brave performance, racing three-wide before kicking forward to take the lead in the straight. Te Toro Pearl (NZ) (Bullbars) gave chase, but Sleeping Beauty kept going too strongly and won by a length and a half.

“She really deserves this,” co-trainer Andrew Scott said. “She’s raced consistently and honestly all season, and today was no different. Racing three-deep on the speed, she was entitled to be run down, but she was very brave.

“She kept up a really good campaign all summer. We gave her a quick break, and then she came back and we aimed her at this race.

“It’s so pleasing to get this great result for the Pencarrow team. They’re so good to train for, they just let you do what you want with the horses.

“It’s been a great team effort from Garry (Cossey), Leon (Casey) and everyone at Pencarrow. They’ll all be so stoked.”

Sleeping Beauty has now had 22 starts for nine wins, six placings and $207,187 in stakes.

Bred and raced by Sir Peter Vela, Sleeping Beauty is out of the three-time winning Danehill mare Kailey Princess (NZ). That mare has produced eight winners from 10 foals to race including the stakes placegetters Prosperous Bid (NZ) (Carnegie) and Canny Princess (NZ) (Canny Lad).

Another of Kailey Princess’s foals, Sea Island (NZ) (Woodman) is the dam of the Group 1 Metropolitan Handicap winner Herculian Prince (NZ) (Yamanin Vital).