The Pencarrow Stud colours of Sir Peter Vela have been carried by some outstanding fillies over the years including ‘Cups Queen’ Ethereal, whose rise to stardom started with a win in the Group I Queensland Oaks in 2001.
The Queensland Oaks is the target race for the latest Pencarrow Stud bred and raced winner in Chispa, who scored a dominant victory at the Randwick meeting on Wednesday for the Chris Waller stable.
The Savabeel filly only started racing this year with a debut second and then a maiden win at Kembla in February followed by a short break.
Third up from a spell and stepping out to 1800m with James McDonald to ride, Chispa started favourite and relished the longer trip, surging right away at the finish to win by nearly three lengths.
“She jumped well, got into a reasonable position, then got shuffled back a little bit, so she needed to be good to sort of round them up and finish off, and she sustained it well, so it was good to see all those little factors,” said Chris Waller.
“She'll join up with some of better fillies now in Queensland. She's well-bred and it's good to win in the Vela colours, for Sir Peter Vela and his family as they are very close to James and have been big supporters of him. So hopefully, we can just continue the story a little bit further.
“It’s a long way from the Kensington track to the Oaks, but we’ve had it in our sights for a long time, so she's peaking at the right time, which means a lot.”
James McDonald has ridden Chispa in each of her three starts this preparation and believes she has the class to make an impact in stakes company.
“She probably would have almost won the Gold Coast Bracelet (Listed, run last Saturday) , if she ran in it,” he said.
“She’s been unlucky, just been getting too far back and having no luck on Rosehill tracks where the rail was out eight metres.
“She's been building towards today. She's got a beautiful pedigree, and she'll stay all day.
“She will relish the 2200m come Oaks time and hopefully she gets there, because she deserves her chance.”
Chispa is a full sister to stakes-winner Waikato Girl and Group II placed Butter Chicken being the fifth winner f rom six foals to race from imported Group III winning Galileo mare Scintillula (IRE), who was placed at Group I level and ran fourth in the Group I Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks.
