Talented Pencarrow Stud mare Sleeping Beauty (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) continued the strong start she has made to her racing career with a victory in Wednesday’s $10,000 BDO Rotorua 1200 at Matamata.

Ridden by this season’s champion apprentice jockey Sam Weatherley for local trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott, the four-year-old mare led throughout the 1200-metre race and fought back when challenged in the straight to win by a length and a quarter.

It was the second win of Sleeping Beauty’s seven-start career, and she has finished second on another three occasions. Her prize-money earnings now stand at $18,125.

Bred and raced by Sir Peter Vela, Sleeping Beauty is out of the three-time winning Danehill mare Kailey Princess (NZ). That mare has produced eight winners from 10 foals to race including the stakes placegetters Prosperous Bid (NZ) (Carnegie) and Canny Princess (NZ) (Canny Lad).

Another of Kailey Princess’s foals, Sea Island (NZ) (Woodman) is the dam of the Group 1 Metropolitan Handicap winner Herculian Prince (NZ) (Yamanin Vital).