Tomodachi (NZ) (Tarzino) made a big impression winning three of her five starts as a three-year-old last season, and the exciting Pencarrow prospect picked up right where she left off with a first-up victory in Friday’s $40,000 Social Club Greerton (1200m) at Tauranga.

That Rating 75 success was a timely result for Pencarrow, who will offer a half-brother to Tomodachi at Karaka 2025 later this month.

Tomodachi rose to prominence with three consecutive victories at Taupo, Matamata and Te Rapa in March and April, then signed off for the season with a seventh at Ipswich in Queensland in late May.

Trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott gave Tomodachi two trials in December to prepare her for Friday’s return to action, and she delivered an outstanding performance as $3.30 favourite.

Tomodachi and jockey Matt Cartwright were among the last to leave the starting gates and settled at the tail of the field for most of the journey, around two lengths adrift of the second-last horse. But Cartwright angled her out wide at the home turn and let her rip, and Tomodachi flew down the outside for a commanding one-length win.

From only six career starts, Tomodachi has won four times and has earned $71,191. She was bred by Pencarrow Thoroughbreds Ltd and is raced by Sir Peter Vela.

Tomodachi is by Westbury Stud stallion Tarzino (NZ), who himself was a high-class winner of the Group One Victoria Derby (2500m) and Group One Rosehill Guineas (2000m). He is the sire of 93 winners from 185 runners, headed by Group One winners Gypsy Goddess (NZ) and Jungle Magnate (NZ), along with last season’s Group Two Autumn Classic (1800m) winner Immediacy (NZ).

Tomodachi is out of Quintessentially (NZ) (High Chaparral), who is a daughter of the Group One-placed Uberalles (NZ) (Giant’s Causeway) and a granddaughter of the champion Ethereal (NZ) (Rhythm).

Uberalles is a half-sister to the stakes performers Seraphim (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle), Imperium (NZ) (Encosta De Lago) and Duquesa (NZ) (Encosta De Lago), along with the dams of black-type stars Supera (NZ) (Savabeel), Eleonora (NZ) (Makfi) and last season’s Pencarrow-bred stakes winner Pericles (NZ) (Rubick).

Quintessentially herself won three races up to 2100 metres, and she has a perfect record of two winners from two foals to race.

Pencarrow will offer a half-brother to Tomodachi as Lot 231 during Karaka 2025. The colt by Hello Youmzain will go through the ring on the first day of Book 1 on January 26.