Pencarrow’s Sesimbra (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) was a stakes performer as a three-year-old last season, and she kicked off her four-year-old campaign on a winning note in Friday’s $17,000 TCL Earthworks (970m) at Cambridge.

The Rating 67 sprint was the third win of an eight-start career for Sesimbra, who has placed on another two occasions including a second to Pivotal Ten (NZ) (Ten Sovereigns) in the Listed Southland Guineas (1400m) in February. Sesimbra has so far earned $70,695 in stakes.

Friday’s race was the first start on a synthetic track for the Steven Ramsay and Julia Ritchie-trained Sesimbra, and it was her first raceday appearance since March 1. She broke well from gate three for apprentice jockey Jack Taplin, who slotted her into second place behind Beau Luca (NZ) (Embellish) through the first half of the race.

Sesimbra loomed on the outside of the leader coming up to the home turn, and she quickly took command straightening for home. Sesimbra kicked clear and kept going strongly down the straight, going on to win by a length from the late-finishing favourite Brazen Affair (NZ) (Brazen Beau).

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

Sesimbra is by The Oaks Stud stallion U S Navy Flag, whose high-class racing career included victories in the Group One July Cup (1200m), Dewhurst Stakes (1400m) and Middle Park Stakes (1200m). He was New Zealand’s leading first-season sire in 2022-23 and leading second-season sire in 2023-24. His 36 winners in New Zealand include the black-type stars Pendragon (NZ), So Naive (NZ) and Chantilly Lace (NZ).

The dam of Sesimbra is the unraced Aveiro (NZ) (O’Reilly), whose dam Dolmabache (NZ) (Redoute’s Choice) won the Group Two Travis Stakes (2000m) and placed in the Group One International Stakes (2000m).

Dolmabache is out of Our Echezeaux (NZ) (Zabeel), a full-sister to Grand Echezeaux (NZ) (Zabeel), who won at Group One level and produced the quality sires Darci Brahma (NZ) and Burgundy (NZ).

Aveiro is the dam of two winners from two foals to race. Sesimbra’s year-older half-sister Arcachon (NZ) (Pierro) was won once from a three-start career to date.

Aveiro foaled a colt by All Too Hard in 2023 and a filly by Staphanos in 2024. She was subsequently served by New Zealand’s leading first-season sire of 2024-25, Hello Youmzain.