Promising Pencarrow filly Top Note (NZ) (Burgundy) began her racing career in superb style in Wednesday’s $12,000 Phill Cataldo Bloodstock 3YO (1200m) at Te Rapa.

From the stable of champion trainer Jamie Richards, Top Note went into Wednesday’s debut as the winner of two of her four trials and was a $3.70 favourite among a 13-horse field.

Ridden by star jockey Opie Bosson, Top Note was unhurried through the early stages of the race after jumping from a wide barrier. Bosson had her under a firm hold in fourth-last as the field made its way down the side of the track towards the home turn, then angled her into clear air out wide in the straight.

Top Note quickened impressively and soon ran down the front-runners, charging past and going clear to win by three and three-quarter lengths. She now boasts a perfect one-start, one-win record with prizemoney of $6,720. She was bred by Pencarrow Thoroughbreds Ltd and is raced by Sir Peter Vela.

The sire of Top Note is Burgundy (NZ), who himself was bred by Peter and Philip Vela. He is a son of Group One-winning Pencarrow mare Grand Echezeaux (NZ) (Zabeel), who is also the dam of five-time Group One winner and top sire Darci Brahma (NZ).

Burgundy himself was a $1.3 million purchase from Pencarrow’s draft at the 2010 Premier Sale, and he won seven races for Te Akau Racing, headed by the Group Three Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m). He also placed in the Group One Telegraph Handicap (1200m) and went on to a highly successful stallion career at Cambridge Stud.

Top Note is out of homebred Pencarrow mare Arpeggio (NZ) (Tavistock), a half-sister to Listed winner Harb (NZ) (Catbird) and stakes-placed Cortado (NZ) (Sepoy).

Arpeggio’s dam Macchiato (NZ) (Night Shift) is a half-sister to the Group One performers Filante Etoile (NZ) (Soviet Star) and Vega Sicilia (NZ) (Rodrigo De Triano). Vega Sicilia’s son Valbuena (NZ) (Darci Brahma) was a quality performer in both New Zealand and Singapore, winning five races including the Group Two Avondale Guineas (2100m).

Another of Macchiato’s siblings is Cavendish Belle (NZ) (Thorn Park), dam of this season’s dual Group-winning filly Belle En Rouge (NZ) (Burgundy), while multiple Group One winner Star Dancer (NZ) (Star Watch) features further back in the pedigree.

Arpeggio herself won four races, while Top Note is her second winner and second foal to race. Her older half-brother Duntayar (NZ) (Dundeel) has been placed. Arpeggio produced another Burgundy filly in 2020, and she was served by Street Boss last spring.