Up-and-coming Pencarrow mare Naval Fleet (NZ) (Declaration of War) made a big impression at Awapuni on Saturday with a strong victory in the $22,500 Ratanui Development Company 1400.

With Sam Weatherley in the saddle, the five-year-old enjoyed a comfortable midfield run before overpowering the highly rated filly Key (Exceed and Excel) in the home straight. Naval Fleet stretched out stylishly and raced clear to beat Key by a length and a quarter, with the rest of the field another three and a quarter lengths away.

Trained by Steven Ramsay and Julia Ritchie at Maungatautari, Naval Fleet has now had 10 starts for two wins, seven placings and $32,800 in stakes.

Naval Fleet was bred by Pencarrow Thoroughbreds Ltd and is raced by Sir Peter Vela.

She is by Declaration of War, who played a huge role around this time last year as the sire of Melbourne Cup (3200m) winner Vow and Declare and Victoria Derby (2500m) winner Warning.

The dam of Naval Fleet is the two-race-winning mare Navy Beach (NZ) (Darci Brahma), a three-quarter sister to stakes winner Don Garcia (NZ) (Danehill) and half-sister to Group 2 winner Te Akau Coup (NZ) (Thorn Park). Naval Fleet is her first foal to race and her first winner.

Navy Beach has subsequently produced a filly by Rip Van Winkle and a colt by Puccini (NZ).