Pencarrow Stud graduate Stanica Star (NZ) (Danzero ex. Stanica) made it back-to-back wins at New Plymouth yesterday with victory over 1800m in the $8,000 Revital Fertilisers Rating 85 for Te Akau Racing.

The win followed immediately after Peerage (NZ) (O’Reilly), another Pencarrow Stud graduate, broke maidens for Te Akau Racing.

The seven-year-old gelding was a last start winner at the same track over 1600m for apprentice rider Michael Dee who was once again aboard the gelding and claimed 2kgs.

A son of Australian sire Danzero, Stanica Star jumped from barrier 4 in the six-horse field and landed mid-field. He was inclined to over-race early in the race but Dee was able to settle the horse in the slowly run race.

As the leaders sprinted at the top of the straight Stanica Star had to dig deep to pick up the leaders and race away to win determinedly by a half-length in a compact finish.

“He is one of the oldest horses in the stable and has been a great stalwart,” stated Bridgman. “He was originally based predominately in the South Island when we still had a stable down there and won four races there before winning a couple up here in the north now.

“He is testament to the Pencarrow stock, they are a durable breed. He has been a terrific bread and butter horse, he has won six races now from only 26 starts.

“He certainly possess his share of ability, he has a good turn of foot and yesterday in a slowly run race he showed a lot of determination and grit as well.

“I have just nominated him today for the Taupo Cup next week, I have always thought he would handle a middle distance but he did race a bit keenly yesterday. We will see how he comes through the race before we make firm plans.”

Yesterday’s victory was the sixth in the career of the lightly raced seven-year-old who has only had 26 career starts, earning his owners, Dr Y C Woo, K C & W C Wu, $43,935 in prizemoney. Stanica Star was purchased by David Ellis at the 2008 Karaka Premier Sale for $140,000.

Bred by Peter & Philip Vela, Stanica Star is out of the Group 1 Avondale Cup runner-up Stanica (Zabeel) who is already the dam of the promising Melbourne galloper Rhythm to Spare (Pins), a Group 3 placegetter for Mike Moroney.