Pencarrow Stud is celebrating a new black-type graduate after Churchillian (NZ) (Churchill) captured the $120,000 Group Three Dixon & Dunlop Anniversary Handicap (1600m) at Trentham on Saturday.

Churchillian was bred by Pencarrow Thoroughbreds Ltd and was offered in the Pencarrow draft at Karaka 2021, where Paul Willetts bought her for $100,000. She has now had 13 starts for six wins, a placing and $196,290 in stakes.

Churchillian had made a good impression with two strong Rating 75 victories and a placing from her four starts leading into the Trentham Group Three, and she rose to the black-type occasion in style on Saturday for rider Lily Sutherland.

After racing on the heels of the front-running Sergio (NZ) (Swiss Ace), Churchillian went for gold at the top of the long Trentham straight and was vulnerable as the challengers began to close in. But Churchillian dug deep and refused to let them pass, maintaining a slender winning margin of a head over Apostrophe (NZ) (Tavistock).

“She deserved that – she’s been consistent all season,” trainer Tony Pike said. “Things didn’t go completely her way, she was taken off the track when things got a bit tight at the top of the straight, but she is a good honest mare.

“She was always travelling well and despite getting some buffeting she is a pretty hard horse to get past when she gets in front.

“We will just wait and see how she comes through this, but she has been up quite a while with some tough racing. She is a promising mare going forward and I think she will only get better as she gets a bit of age on her.”

Churchillian is by English and Irish 2000 Guineas (1600m) winner Churchill, who is the sire of 212 winners from 406 runners worldwide including 18 black-type winners.

The dam of Churchillian is Fond Du Coeur (Fastnet Rock), who is a half-sister to the stakes-placed By My Side (Siyouni). She is closely related to the Hong Kong Cup-winning mare Pride (Peintre Celebre) and her Group One-performed son One Foot In Heaven (Fastnet Rock).

Churchillian is the first foal to race out of Fond Du Coeur, whose subsequent progeny are the unraced two-year-old filly Navy Heart (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) and a filly by Vadamos.

Pencarrow Stud will offer another top-quality draft of 24 yearlings in Book 1 of Karaka 2024, which runs from January 28 to 30. View the draft here or to arrange inspections, contact Stud Manager Leon Casey on 027 490 1325 or email office@pencarrow.co.nz.