News

18 Mar 2024

Pencarrow mare Pearl Of Alsace (NZ) (Tavistock) produced a bold audition for a Group One assignment in her next start when she won Saturday’s $90,000 Westbury Stud Royal Descent Stakes (1600m) at Ellerslie.

The exciting mare won all of her first five career starts last season, culminating in the Group Three Cuddle Stakes (1600m) at Trentham. Her first taste of defeat was an unlucky fourth in the Group One New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) – a race that is firmly in her sights again 12 months later, with the 2024 edition set to be run at Te Aroha on March 30.

18 Mar 2024

Pencarrow principal Sir Peter Vela’s hopes of back-to-back wins in the A$5m Group One Golden Slipper (1200m) received a boost at Randwick on Saturday from exciting colt Switzerland (Snitzel).

The rising star of the Chris Waller stable scored a brilliant win in the A$300,000 Group Two UNSW Todman Stakes (1200m) and will take an unblemished record into the Golden Slipper at Rosehill on March 23.

18 Mar 2024

Three weeks after racing greenly on debut, Pencarrow filly Tomodachi (NZ) (Tarzino) produced a much-improved performance and cleared maiden ranks in style in Friday’s $18,500 Happy Hire (1200m) at Taupo.

The return to Taupo for her second start on Friday brought a very different result. Jockey Warren Kennedy eased Tomodachi back to third-last in the 11-horse field, then brought her down the outside with a brilliant finishing burst to win going away by two and a half lengths.

18 Mar 2024

Well-related Pencarrow graduate Pericles (NZ) (Rubick) stepped up into stakes company with an impressive performance in Saturday’s $100,000 Listed Skycity Horizon Uncle Remus Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie.

Pericles was bred by Pencarrow Thoroughbreds Ltd and offered in Pencarrow’s Book 1 draft at Karaka 2022, where Paul Moroney Bloodstock and Ballymore Stables bought him for $110,000. He has had seven starts for three wins and $88,520 in stakes.

18 Mar 2024

Sir Peter Vela shared in Group One Golden Slipper (1200m) glory last year with Shinzo (Snitzel), and now the Pencarrow principal is part-owner of another exciting contender for the world’s richest two-year-old race.

Switzerland (Snitzel) improved his perfect career record to two-from-two with a super-impressive performance in Saturday’s A$160,000 Coolmore Pierro Plate (1100m) at Randwick.

The Chris Waller-trained Switzerland was a come-from-behind debut winner at Randwick on January 27, and he was sent out as a hot favourite on Saturday despite facing a talented field headed by two-start, two-win rival Shangri La Express (Alabama Express).

26 Feb 2024

The opening race at Caulfield on Saturday was named in honour of an iconic New Zealand-bred champion, and it was fitting that Dunkel won it with some of the stamina and toughness that top-flight Kiwi stayers are renowned for.

The A$150,000 Vale Verry Elleegant (2000m) was given its name after the 11-time Group One winner sadly died due to foaling complications earlier in the week.

His achievements and his rating of 105 towered over his seven rivals in Saturday’s handicap field, and as a result he had to carry a hefty 61.5kg.

The Patrick Payne-trained Dunkel has now had 11 starts for eight wins, two seconds and A$852,625 in stakes.

12 Feb 2024

Barely half an hour after Bonifleur (NZ) (Burgundy) made a winning debut at Tauranga on Sunday, fellow Pencarrow three-year-old Naxos (NZ) (Harry Angel) followed suit in the very next race on the card.

Naxos kicked off his racing career on a perfect note with his hard-fought victory in the $25,000 Pure Lighting Maiden (1200m).

Fourth and third in his two appearances at the trials, Naxos went out at double-figure odds on Sunday but produced a tenacious performance in the hands of jockey Billy Jacobson.

12 Feb 2024

Pencarrow filly Bonifleur (NZ) (Burgundy) made a super-impressive start to her career with a dominant debut performance in the $25,000 STE Industrial Electrical Maiden (1200m) at Tauranga on Sunday.

After two trials including a second placing at the same venue on January 16, the three-year-old lined up for her first raceday assignment on Sunday and made a big impression for trainer Paul Richards and jockey Sam Weatherley.

05 Feb 2024

The team at Pencarrow Stud is celebrating an outstanding result with their high-class draft offered during Book 1 of the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale at Karaka.

Of the 22 yearlings catalogued, 19 were sold for a total of $4.3m, which earned Pencarrow a fourth placing behind Waikato Stud, Cambridge Stud and Haunui Farm on the list of vendors by aggregate. Pencarrow’s average price was $226,316.

The top lot for Pencarrow’s class of 2024 was Lot 146 – a colt by Super Seth out of Irion (NZ) (Danroad). A half-brother to the Group winners Zourion (NZ) (Zoustar) and Pearl Of Alsace (NZ) (Tavistock), he was bought by Hong Kong’s Patella Bloodstock for $700,000.

16 Jan 2024

Pencarrow Stud is internationally renowned for its countless stakes-performed homebred fillies and mares, most famously the mighty Melbourne Cup (3200m) and Caulfield Cup (3200m) heroine Ethereal (NZ) (Rhythm). But the respected nursery is also an outstanding source of talented colts, and buyers will have access to 19 of them among Pencarrow’s draft for Book 1 of Karaka 2024.

Since making its sale-ring debut in the late 1980s, Pencarrow rapidly grew into one of New Zealand’s most respected yearling vendors. The Pencarrow drafts have produced a long line of colts who have gone on to significant success on the racetrack and at stud.

One of the biggest success stories is Darci Brahma (NZ) (Danehill), who was bought by Te Akau Racing’s David Ellis for a sale-topping $1.1m in 2004.

15 Jan 2024

Pencarrow Stud is celebrating a new black-type graduate after Churchillian (NZ) (Churchill) captured the $120,000 Group Three Dixon & Dunlop Anniversary Handicap (1600m) at Trentham on Saturday.

Churchillian was bred by Pencarrow Thoroughbreds Ltd and was offered in the Pencarrow draft at Karaka 2021, where Paul Willetts bought her for $100,000. She has now had 13 starts for six wins, a placing and $196,290 in stakes.

09 Jan 2024

With just three weeks until the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale commences at Karaka, Stud Manager Leon Casey and his team are busy putting the finishing touches on Pencarrow Stud’s 23-strong 2024 sale draft.

The Sir Peter Vela owner operation has developed a rich history of providing quality international and domestic performers since Sir Peter and his late brother Phillip established the Tamahere-based property over three decades ago.

Casey is justifiably excited about the wide range of youngsters the Stud will send through the auction ring this year.

22 Dec 2023

Throughout the more than three decades since Sir Peter Vela founded Pencarrow Stud in partnership with his late brother Philip, the stud’s name and its recognisable ‘V in a box’ brand have become renowned as an outstanding nursery of thoroughbred talent.

The breeders of 20 individual Group One winners, the Velas boast an extraordinary record across multiple generations of their blue-blooded thoroughbred families. The brothers were named New Zealand Breeders of the Year in 2000 and 2002.

The most recent addition to that Group One list is Dunkel (NZ) (Dundeel), who was offered as part of Pencarrow Stud’s Book 1 draft at Karaka 2021.

22 Dec 2023

Three-year-old Pencarrow filly Arcachon (NZ) (Pierro) hinted at a bright future with a dominant maiden victory in Thursday’s $18,500 Vale Peter McKenzie (1200m) at Otaki.

Thursday’s race was the second career start for Arcachon, who had made up late ground for an eye-catching second over 1100 metres on debut at New Plymouth on December 7. She went to a new level on Thursday, settling just behind the leaders for jockey Lisa Allpress before swooping into contention at the home turn.

04 Dec 2023

Lightly raced Pencarrow mare Branciforti (NZ) (Belardo) kicked off a new campaign in spectacular style with a bold front-running win in Saturday’s $40,000 Wanganui Motors and the Dyke Family (1600m) at Wanganui.

It was the first appearance in five months for Branciforti, who had raced on the Cambridge synthetic track through the winter and picked up a win and a placing from four starts between May and July.

She faced a very different assignment at Wanganui, stepping up to a high-quality Rating 75 on a Saturday and racing on Good4 turf. Branciforti was sent out as an overlooked $20 outsider, but she ran her rivals into the ground with a spectacular all-the-way performance.

16 Nov 2023

Pencarrow principal Sir Peter Vela was in the winner’s circle as both a breeder and a part-owner on Wednesday when the promising Waikato Girl (NZ) (Savabeel) took out the A$100,000 Precise Air Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill.

The three-year-old filly had finished third on debut over 1300 metres at Kembla Grange on October 28, and the step up to 1400 metres on Wednesday brought the very best out of the up-and-comer.

Ridden by Jason Collett for trainer Michael Freedman, Waikato Girl settled at the back of the six-horse field before launching an irresistible finish down the outside of the home straight to win with ease by a length and three-quarters.

With a win and a placing from her two starts, Waikato Girl has quickly banked A$51,900 for the ownership pairing of Sir Peter Vela and Gandharvi.

09 Nov 2023

By Joshua Smith, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Flemington has been a happy hunting ground for the Vela family and they are hoping that continues on Saturday when their Group One performer Pearl Of Alsace carries their famous silks in the Gr.2 Matriarch Stakes (2000m).

Their most notable win at the Melbourne track came in 2001 when Ethereal took out the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m), and more than two decades on Sir Peter Vela is hoping for another Group victory during the Melbourne Cup Carnival, and trainer Shaune Ritchie is hoping to oblige.

27 Oct 2023

Pencarrow four-year-old Firriato (NZ) (Almanzor) cleared maiden ranks in style with a quality performance in Thursday’s $18,500 Entain – NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race (1400m) at Rotorua.

Placed in two of her six starts as a three-year-old last season, Firriato hinted that she had come back bigger and better when she kicked off her new campaign with impressive victories in both of her trials.

She brought that winning form to raceday on Thursday, winning stylishly in the hands of top jockey Opie Bosson.

After jumping evenly from gate two, Firriato slid forward to take up a handy position in fourth spot, skimming the running rail.

16 Oct 2023

Pencarrow Stud celebrated a new stakes-winning graduate when lightly raced filly Star Of Justice (Justify) stepped on to the Group Three stage in style in the $100,000 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) at Ashburton on Monday.

The chestnut filly was bred by Pencarrow and sold through the Pencarrow draft in Book 1 of Karaka 2022. She caught the eye of Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis, who secured her for $190,000.

The Barneswood Farm Stakes was only the third career start for Star Of Justice, who has now recorded two highly impressive victories and earned $73,875 for her owners the Te Akau Fair & Just Racing Partnership.

02 Oct 2023

Despite looking far from comfortable in the Heavy9 track conditions, Pencarrow’s rising star mare Pearl Of Alsace (NZ) (Tavistock) dug deep to collect the sixth win of her eight-start career in Friday’s $50,000 Fluid Power Distributors Mile (1600m) at Te Rapa.

At this time last year, Pearl Of Alsace was unraced. She made her debut in November and proceeded to win all of her first five races in a row, including the Group Three Cuddle Stakes (1600m) at Trentham. Her breakthrough season came to a close with an unlucky fourth in the Group One New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m).

18 Aug 2023

Surrounded by daughters and granddaughters, a 26-year-old mare happily wanders the paddocks of Pencarrow Stud. The multiple Group 1-winning successful broodmare is seeing out her days in the place of her birth - a farm that was also home to her dam and her grandam - both of whom were also high achievers on and off the track.

Kristen at TTR writes:

Pencarrow Stud - one of New Zealand's steadiest sources of high-class performers. Many of who descend from just two broodmares purchased by the Vela brothers in the late 1970s and early 1980s. One of whom is the grandam of the 26-year-old mare mentioned above.

14 Aug 2023

The 2022-23 racing season delivered more than 70 wins for Pencarrow Stud, highlighted by an Australian Group One triumph by star three-year-old Dunkel (NZ) (Dundeel ex Kudamm).

Trained by Patrick Payne in Victoria, Dunkel was a debut winner at Moonee Valley in October, rising to prominence in Tasmania through the summer months with brilliant come-from-behind wins in the Listed Launceston Guineas and Tasmanian Derby.

His pinnacle came in Adelaide in May, charging home from near the tail of the field to score an exceptional victory in the Group One South Australian Derby.

Pencarrow’s stellar Karaka 2021 draft of 30 yearlings has so far produced 13 winners, including three at black-type level.

31 Jul 2023

On Monday 25 July Sir Peter, and members of the Vela Family, was invited to Windsor Castle as a guest of Dr Damir Kusen and Loreta Bertosa-Kusan from the Croatian Embassy in London.

During their visit, Sir Peter had the great honour of meeting Emma, the late Queen Elizabeth II’s beloved fell pony. Emma, at the grand old age of 27, is being lovingly cared for at Windsor Castle by retired stud groom Terry Pendry LVO, BEM.

31 Jul 2023

Million-dollar yearling Caballus (I Am Invincible) ran record-breaking time in a smart late-season juvenile win at Randwick on Saturday, emerging as another exciting spring prospect part-owned by Pencarrow principal Sir Peter Vela.

The Chris Waller-trained colt had been a luckless eighth on debut at Canterbury earlier this month, but he made amends in style in Saturday’s A$150,000 ATC Thank You Trainers Handicap (1100m).