Pencarrow’s blue and white hooped colours featured prominently at black-type level last season thanks to Island Life (NZ) (Vadamos), and a strong victory in Saturday’s $40,000 Barry Illsley Building and Joinery (1600m) at Trentham suggested there could be more to come this season.

Island Life won twice from eight starts as a three-year-old, including an emphatic front-running victory in the $250,000 Group Three Sunline Vase (2100m) on Champions Day at Ellerslie in early March.

She also finished second in the Group Three Wellington Stakes (1600m), third in the Group Two Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) and fifth in the Group Three Eulogy Stakes (1600m).

Island Life was unplaced in her first three appearances as a four-year-old this season, but she turned things around in style at Trentham on Saturday and made a welcome return to the winners’ circle.

Ridden by Craig Grylls, Island Life jumped well from gate six took up the lead inside the first 100 metres. She handed up that position when Mr Jay Eight (NZ) (Per Incanto) pushed forward from his wide gate and moved across in front of her.

Grylls brought Island Life back up alongside Mr Jay Eight coming up to the home turn, and then the classy mare took charge in the straight.

Challengers lined up across the track to try to reel her in, but Island Life kept finding and kept fending them off. She reached the finish line a neck in front of the strong-finishing Palmarow (NZ) (Derryn).

“We probably ended up being a bit handier than I expected, but she came out of the gates like a startled rabbit and put herself right there,” Grylls said. “She found a good kick in the straight. They were starting to come late, but she held on well. She was very willing. She pinned her ears back and wanted to keep going and wanted to win.”

Island Life has now had 12 starts for three wins, three placings and $247,850 in stakes.

“She was a really good three-year-old, but sometimes those three-year-old fillies can struggle a little bit going into their early four-year-old campaigns,” said Steven Ramsay, who trains in partnership with Julia Ritchie.

“She was very fit for today, with only two weeks between runs, and she’s absolutely thrived in the trip down. It’s great to see her back in winning form.

“Today was the best she’s paraded all season. Normally she’d sweat up a bit, but today she was really good walking around. Craig gave her a perfect ride and she won well.”

Island Life was bred by Pencarrow Thoroughbreds Ltd and is raced by Sir Peter Vela.

She is a daughter of the unraced Lycia (NZ) (Montjeu), whose half-sister Corinthia (NZ) (O’Reilly) is the dam of the Pencarrow-bred Feroce (NZ) (Super Seth) – the winner of last season’s Group One Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington.

Island Life is the best of four winners from five foals to race out of Lycia, who is also a half-sister to the Group One Rosehill Guineas (2000m) winner De Beers (NZ) (Quest For Fame).