The Pencarrow-bred Mehzebeen (NZ) (Almanzor) secured her third major staying prize of the season with another powerhouse performance in Saturday’s $120,000 Listed Valley D’Vine Restaurant Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200m) at Trentham.

Previously the winner of the Listed Metropolitan Trophy (2600m) and Group Three New Zealand Cup (3200m) at Riccarton in November, Mehzebeen has now banked a total of $556,218 from a 23-start career that has produced six wins and four placings.

Mehzebeen was a placegetter in the Group One New Zealand Oaks (2400m) as a three-year-old and has matured into a top-class stayer this season at the age of five. She was unplaced in two appearances in Australia earlier this year, but bounced back in style at Trentham on Saturday.

Jockey Lily Sutherland pushed Mehzebeen forward from her wide gate, working across the front of the field to take up the lead beside the rail with just under a lap to go. Sutherland gave her mount a breather down the back of the track, and Mehzebeen settled into a smooth rhythm when others pushed forward to take over the pace.

When the leader rolled off the fence around the home turn, Sutherland drove Mehzebeen through that gap. She sprinted along the rail to take a clear lead, then held out the strong-finishing Nereus (NZ) (Savabeel) by a long neck.

“We got to the front fairly easily and she just cruised along,” Sutherland said. “We had an easy time down the back, then got a bit of cover after the others went forward. Once we got through along the rail in the straight, she quickened up really well. She has a good turn of foot. She’s a very good mare and I was lucky to be on her today. I’m very grateful to the Te Akau team.”

Co-trainer Mark Walker was impressed with Sutherland’s ride and Mehzebeen’s performance.

“It was a great win and a lovely ride by Lily,” he said. “It’s great to see Lily ride a stakes winner for the team. Even though she’s still an apprentice, she’s really proving herself in the jockey ranks.

“Things didn’t go right for Mehzebeen in Melbourne, but she’s come home, regrouped quickly, and added to her pedigree again today with another top stakes win. We’ll see how she pulls up, but the Rotorua Cup (Listed, 2200m) in May is a possibility.

“Even though the trip to Australia wasn’t successful, I feel that the big trip away has seen her come back so much more focused and tougher and that showed in the win today.”

Mehzebeen was bred by Pencarrow Thoroughbreds Ltd and offered in Pencarrow Stud’s Book 1 draft at Karaka 2021, where she was bought by Sarai Stud for $50,000.

One of 24 individual stakes winners for Cambridge Stud stallion Almanzor, Mehzebeen is a daughter of the Zabeel mare Salkantay (NZ).

Herself a placegetter on the track, Salkantay is the dam of three winners from four foals to race. Two of them have been stakes performers, with Mehzebeen backed up by the Listed Ellerslie Salver (2100m) placegetter Smiling Touch (NZ) (O’Reilly).

Salkantay is a half-sister to the stakes winners Te Akau Coup (NZ) (Thorn Park) and Don Garcia (NZ) (Danehill). Another half-sister, Navy Beach (NZ) (Darci Brahma), is the dam of this season’s Group Three Wellington Cup (3200m) winner Wolfgang (NZ) (Puccini) along with the stakes-placed Naval Fleet (NZ) (Declaration Of War).

Since Mehzebeen’s birth in 2019, Salkantay has produced the 2000-metre winner Lovely Friends (NZ) (Almanzor) and colts by Eminent and Vadamos.