Wailea (NZ) (Darci Brahma) got within a nose of victory when she visited Waverley for her last start on March 18, and a return to the same venue on Friday marked another big step forward for the fast-improving filly.

The Pencarrow homebred began her career in Victoria, where she had three starts last spring for a fourth, a fifth and an eighth. Back in her homeland and now a member of Steven Ramsay and Julia Ritchie’s Matamata stable, the three-year-old made her New Zealand debut with a big run for second in a photo finish at Waverley last month.

With that race under her belt and with an added boost from the first-time addition of blinkers, further improvement was expected when she headed back to Waverley for Friday’s $17,000 Andrew Forsman Racing (1200m). That was exactly what Wailea delivered.

Jockey Sam Collett took advantage of the inside draw and slotted Wailea into third on the rail, then hooked to the outside of the leaders to stake her claim at the home turn.

Wailea showed a smart turn of foot in the straight, dashing to the lead and pulling clear to win by two and a quarter lengths in good time (1:10.87).

From a promising five-start career, Wailea has now recorded a win and a placing and has earned $19,379. She was bred by Pencarrow Thoroughbreds Ltd and is raced by Sir Peter Vela.

Wailea is by Darci Brahma (NZ), who was bred by Sir Peter Vela and his late brother Philip and was sold through Pencarrow’s draft at the 2004 Premier Sale at Karaka, where Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis bought him for $1.1m.

Darci Brahma went on to win 10 races including the Group One TJ Smith Classic (1600m), New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m), Otaki-Maori WFA (1600m), Telegraph Handicap (1200m) and Waikato Sprint.

From a long and successful career at The Oaks Stud, Darci Brahma has sired 624 winners from 890 progeny to race, with 60 stakes winners including Group One stars Nashville (NZ), Julinsky Prince (NZ), Recite (NZ), Sierra Sue (NZ), Catalyst (NZ), Risque (NZ), Artistic (NZ), Irish Fling (NZ), Kahma Lass (NZ), D B Pin (NZ), Devise (NZ) and Gust Of Wind (NZ).

The dam of Wailea is Opito Bay (Bahamian Bounty), who is a half-sister to the Group Three winner and Group One Coronation Stakes (1600m) and Premio Lydia Tesio (2000m) placegetter Nova Hawk (Hawk Wing).

Wailea is the fourth winner from four foals to race out of Opito Bay, following on from four-race winner Opito Ballerina (NZ) (Darci Brahma) and the winners Doves Bay (NZ) (Exosphere) and Shakabrah (NZ) (Darci Brahma).

Wailea was foaled in 2022, and since then Opito Bay has produced unraced two-year-old filly Palombaggia (NZ) (Circus Maximus) and a yearling filly by Ocean Park (NZ).