The blue and white hoops of Pencarrow’s racing team welcomed a new star when Quintessentially (High Chaparral) made a stylish winning debut in an NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race at Te Aroha on Thursday.

Ridden by Danielle Johnson for trainers Steven Ramsay and Julia Ritchie, Quintessentially sat mid-field in the early part of the 1600-metre event. The three-year-old filly made her move as the field approached the turn into the long Te Aroha home straight, and quickly burst into contention.

Second place-getter De Chine (Darci Brahma) produced a big finish of her own and turned the race into a tight two-horse battle to the finish, but Quintessentially kept kicking and got the win by a nose. The rest of the field finished three and a half lengths behind the pair.

Quintessentially is a daughter of Pencarrow bred Uberalles (Giant’s Causeway). Herself a daughter of Pencarrow’s Hall of Fame mare Ethereal, Uberalles was a winner over 1600m and was placed in the Group 1 New Zealand Derby and Group 2 Great Northern Guineas.

As a Pearl Series nominated filly, Quintessentially picked up the NZB Insurance Pearl Series bonus at Te Aroha of $10,000 to increase the wining purse by 130%.