The Pencarrow Racing colours were carried to a third win this week when Sesimbra (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) cleared maiden ranks in Wednesday’s $18,500 Peninsular Beachfront Resort Mooloolaba (1200m) at New Plymouth.

The lightly raced filly followed in the footsteps of Island Life (NZ) (Vadamos) and Tempest (NZ) (Frankel), who recorded victories over the weekend at Tauranga and Ashburton respectively.

The Steven Ramsay and Julia Ritchie-trained Sesimbra made her debut at Cambridge in September, finishing solidly for third over 970 metres. She then placed in a trial at Avondale in mid-October before Wednesday’s return to raceday action.

Sesimbra was ridden by apprentice jockey Ace Lawson-Carroll at New Plymouth and settled in third along the rail before pushing forward to challenge the leader before the home turn.

Sesimbra strode to the lead at the top of the straight and forged clear, winning by half a length from the strong-finishing Ridefromtheashes (NZ) (Wrote).

From two starts, Sesimbra has now had a win and a placing and earned $12,025. The three-year-old was bred by Pencarrow Thoroughbreds Ltd and is raced by Sir Peter Vela.

Sesimbra is by The Oaks Stud stallion U S Navy Flag, whose high-class racing career included victories in the Group One July Cup (1200m), Dewhurst Stakes (1400m) and Middle Park Stakes (1200m). His southern hemisphere crops have produced 37 winners from 92 runners, headed by stakes winners Pendragon (NZ), So Naive (NZ) and Chantilly Lace (NZ).

The dam of Sesimbra is the unraced Aveiro (NZ) (O’Reilly), whose dam Dolmabache (NZ) (Redoute’s Choice) won the Group Two Travis Stakes (2000m) and placed in the Group One International Stakes (2000m).

Dolmabache is out of Our Echezeaux (NZ) (Zabeel), a full-sister to Grand Echezeaux (NZ) (Zabeel), who won at Group One level and produced the quality sires Darci Brahma (NZ) and Burgundy (NZ).

Aveiro is now the dam of two winners from two foals to race. Sesimbra’s year-older half-sister Arcachon (NZ) (Pierro) was won once from a three-start career to date.

Aveiro foaled a colt by All Too Hard in 2023 and was subsequently served by Staphanos.