Having already shown real talent on dry ground, emerging Pencarrow filly Tomodachi (NZ) (Tarzino) mastered a gruelling heavy track at Matamata on Wednesday to continue her impressive progress through the grades.

The Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained three-year-old collected the second win of her three-start career with a determined come-from-behind performance in the $25,000 Kilgravin Lodge (1400m).

Both of Tomodachi’s two previous appearances had come on dry tracks at Taupo, where she finished a promising third on debut on February 14 before returning for a dominant maiden victory on March 8.

Wednesday’s Heavy9 presented a very different challenge, but Tomodachi again showed that she was up to it. She settled at the tail of the field for jockey Warren Kennedy, then saved ground by sticking closer to the inside around the home turn.

Tomodachi quickened well through the testing ground and surged to the front, opening up a margin that the strong-finishing Ragamuffin (NZ) (Belardo) and Hayate (NZ) (Maurice) were unable to pull back. Tomoadchi crossed the finish line a length and a half in front.

Bred by Pencarrow Thoroughbreds Ltd and raced by Sir Peter Vela, Tomodachi has now had three starts for two wins, a placing and $26,985 in stakes.

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 65 winners from 145 runners, headed by Group One winners Gypsy Goddess (NZ) and Jungle Magnate (NZ), along with promising Australian three-year-old Immediacy (NZ), who recently won the Group Two Autumn Classic (1800m) at Caulfield.

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 the recent Pencarrow-bred stakes winner Pericles (NZ) (Rubick).

Quintessentially herself won three races up to 2100 metres, and she now has a perfect record of two winners from two named foals. Since producing Tomodachi in 2020, she has had a filly by Vadamos and a colt by Hello Youmzain.