Melbourne Cup Day holds fond memories for Pencarrow Racing and their colours were to the fore on the day in New Zealand with the victory of Chevremont (No Excuse Needed x Figeac) in the $8,000 Farmlands Handicap Rating 75 1600m at Otaki.

On the first Tuesday in November in 2011 it was Ethereal (NZ) (Rhythm) carrying the colours of Pencarrow Racing to victory in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup – the race that stops two nations. The great mare completed the Caulfield/Melbourne Cup double in the same year, something that has not been achieved since.

The consistent Chevremont was one of two winners for Pencarrow Racing yesterday with Atacama (Pentire x Almaviva) capturing the Listed James Boag’s Premium Stakes at Flemington, the race following the Melbourne Cup.

Trained by Pencarrow Racing’s resident trainers Steven Ramsay & Julia Ritchie, Chevremont has been in good form this season with two wins and a fourth placing from three starts following yesterday.

“We freshened her up after her last run at Matamata where she just battled and yesterday was the best she has hit the line,” commented Ramsay. “When she got out she sprinted well. She seems to like Otaki – she has had two starts for two wins there.

“Darryl (Bradley) gave her a nice ride, got out at the right time and presented her in the best part of the track. She has been pretty genuine to be fair, she hardly runs a bad race.

“We might go to Taranaki at the end of the month for an 1800m race with her. It would be nice to see her keep going through the grades.”

Rider Darryl Bradley gave Chevremont an economical run in fourth position over the 1600m journey. Entering the straight, Bradley got the daughter of No Excuse Needed into clear air in centre track and she let down with a strong finishing burst to win convincingly by 1.5 lengths.

Yesterday’s win was Chevremont’s fourth win for owner Sir Peter Vela who bred the six-year-old mare with Philip Vela.

Chevremont is out of winning Zabeel mare Figeac, a half-sister to stakes winners Lord Pyrus (Pyrus), Darcybee (Fasliyev) and Tehama (Centaine).