Pencarrow Stud celebrated a new stakes winner in Sydney on Boxing Day when Tavi Time (NZ) (Tavistock) took the spoils in a tight finish to the A$250,000 Group Three Schweppes Summer Cup (2000m) at Randwick.

Tavi Time was offered in Pencarrow’s Book 1 draft at Karaka 2021, where he was bought by Kiltannon Stables for $60,000. He has now had 18 starts for eight wins, four placings and A$677,025 in stakes.

The five-year-old gelding brought highly creditable form into the Boxing Day feature, having finished fourth in the A$3m The Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick in early November before running back-to-back third placings under big weights at Kembla Grange and Randwick.

Tavi Time dropped to 53 kilograms for the Summer Cup, which was his first attempt at 2000 metres. Under a composed ride from Jay Ford, he burst out of the pack in the straight and went to war with fellow New Zealand-bred Osipenko (NZ) (Pierro). That pair fought tooth and nail to the line, with Tavi Time taking the spoils by a nose. The third placegetter finished three lengths behind the first pair.

“Full credit to the horse,” said Danny Greer, representing trainer Kris Lees. “This is his first time out to 2000 metres, and what better way to try it than with a luxury weight of 53 kilograms?

“He is a horse that is racing really consistently and it was the right time to try stepping him out to 2000 metres. We were confident leading into the race.

“Also credit to Jay Ford. It was a nice ride. He kept his cool at the top of the straight when things didn’t go to plan and he was really strong late. We will see how he pulls up, but it’s onwards and upwards.”

Tavi Time is one of 53 individual stakes winners for the highly successful former Cambridge Stud stallion Tavistock (NZ).

The dam of Tavi Time is high-class homebred Pencarrow mare Guiseppina (NZ) (Johar), who herself had 21 raceday appearances for six wins, five placings and almost $370,000 in stakes. She won the Group One Telegraph Handicap (1200m) and placed in the Group One Livamol Classic (2040m) and Otaki-Maori WFA Classic (1600m).

Guiseppina had two further foals after producing Tavi Time in 2019. Tricolore (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) was born in 2020, followed by Sarti (NZ) (Snitzel) a year later.

Pencarrow’s draft for Book 1 of Karaka 2025 in late January features three close relatives to Tavi Time. Lots 99, 199 and 634 are all out of siblings to the Summer Cup winner.