Unbeaten Perth mare Enticing Star notched her first black-type for Vinery sire Testa Rossa with a first-up victory in the Birthday Stakes LR on Saturday.

The Bob Peters-homebred made it 8 from 8 with a three-quarter length decision over Group 1 winner Great Shot at Belmont.  Third-placed Disposition (Reset) was also bred by Peters and is out of Testa Rossa mare Test Case.

Enticing Star became the 64th stakes winner for Testa Rossa who is in semi-retirement at Vinery.  She will be set for the $1 million Winterbottom Stakes Gr.1 at Ascot on December 1 but her program towards the $1 million sprint hasn’t been set in stone.

“I just wanted to get today out of the way before making any decisions,” Peters said after the mare came from the rear of a five-horse field to win with something in hand.  “She carried 6.5kg less than the runner-up so had to win if she was any good.”

Peters and his wife Sandra have had a hand in several winners of Perth’s premier sprint including Glory Hunter (Metal Storm) and Petite Amour (Prego).

Winning jockey Willie Pike told The West Australian the mare felt smoother than last campaign.  “The transition from floating to letting down seemed a bit more fluent,” he said.  “The moment I showed her daylight, she was bang on to the right leg and just took off.”

Peters bred her by using Testa Rossa over Favourite Star (More Than Ready), a Bunbury and Pinjarra winner who also earned a black-type placing in the Challenge Stakes LR at Ascot.