One of Pencarrow Stud's most exciting families was enhanced by a Listed win in Brisbane on Saturday by Waikato Girl (NZ) (Savabeel), who is also part-owned by Sir Peter Vela.

The Savabeel filly is out of Scintillula (Galileo), who was a Group Three winner and Group One placegetter in Ireland, and she is the dam of four winners from four foals to race. Waikato Girl's full-sister Butter Chicken (NZ) (Savabeel) placed at Group Two level, while four-time winner Stella Splendida (NZ) (Zoustar) recently sold for $410,000 on gavelhouse.com.

Waikato Girl was a $600,000 purchase from Pencarrow Stud’s Book 1 draft at Karaka 2022, and she had previously shown promise with a maiden win at Rosehill in November and a placing in the Group Three Kembla Grange Classic (1600m) in March.

Saturday’s A$160,000 Listed Aquis Stallions Princess Stakes (1600m) at Eagle Farm was another feather in the cap of a quality Pencarrow family.

Waikato Girl travelled in midfield in the three-year-old fillies’ feature before sneaking up one off the fence early in the run home. Rider Vlad Duric got to work in the final 200 metres and she slowly reeled in Amazonian Lass (More Than Ready) to snatch victory in the shadows of the finish line.

“Michael (Freedman, trainer) was very bullish about her with blinkers on today,” jockey Vlad Duric said. “Gee it was a rough race. There were horses that nearly fell in front of me, and the horse inside me clipped heels and bumped into her and put her into the fence.

“The win was first-class. To pick herself up and then fight at the end of the race, all credit goes to her and goes to Michael.

“She has got black type, and I know there are a few people who will be very chuffed about this win. My good friend Mike Kneebone (Director of New Zealand Bloodstock) will be rapt, so it’s very good.”

Waikato Girl has now had seven starts for two wins, three placings and A$178,275 in stakes for owners Gandharvi and Sir Peter Vela.

Since foaling Waikato Girl in the spring of 2020, Scintillula has produced a colt by Savabeel that sold to Chris Waller Racing for $230,000 at Karaka 2023, a filly by Savabeel and another colt by Savabeel. She was served by Proisir last spring.