Consistent four-year-old Pencarrow mare Villars (Stratum x Vercors) claimed the second victory of her career when successful in the $12,000 Brokerweb Risk Services Ltd Rating 65 1600m for fillies and mares at Counties yesterday.

Trained by Graham Richardson, the daughter of Stratum scored a deserved maiden victory two starts ago following a string of seconds that has seen her out of the placings only twice in her nine career outings. The mare finished fifth at her last start at the Karaka Million Twilight Meeting on a Slow7 track.

Villars started from barrier 1 for leading apprentice rider Michael Dee and enjoyed a cosy run in the trail behind the leader Her Choice (Coats Choice). The pair hit the front early in the straight and pulled away from the field in the final 100m to win by half a length over the late-finishing Belinda’s Girl (Elusive City) with Her Choice in third.

“Her work had been first class leading into the race so we were very confident of a good showing,” commented Richardson.

“It was a very courageous win because she hit the front too early at the top of the straight and Michael Dee said she was waiting for the rest of the field once she got to the front.

“It was a tough win, they went a hundred miles an hour so she may need a short break to freshen her up. She will have seven or eight days in the paddock now and we will see where we go with her when she comes back. If we were going to give her a month off we might as well leave her out until June or July because she doesn’t handle wet tracks.

“She has got plenty of improvement in her and will be better next season. She will also improve once we put blinkers on her.”

Owned by Sir Peter Vela, Villars has won two races from nine starts with five minor placings.

Bred by Sir Peter Vela and Philip Vela, Villars is the only foal to race so far out of Listed winning mare Vercors (Catbird) and is from the family of Group 1 winner Lord Ted (Lord Ballina). Vercors foaled a filly by Rip Van Winkle in 2013 and was covered by Cape Blanco.

Pencarrow Racing also had a runner in Australia yesterday with the David Hayes trained Rasa Lila (Darci Brahma x Dance My Dance) finishing third behind the colts at Sandown over 1800m. With just four starts she has now recorded two seconds and two thirds and eyes up the fillies and mares stakes events through the autumn.