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A pair of black type-performed fillies from last season began their three-year-old quests for further stakes success on winning notes at Taupo on Wednesday.

The Stephen Marsh-trained Girlsarebackintown and Frank Ritchie’s She Is Stryking collected their maiden victories to set up a clash at Wanganui in the Listed O’Leary’s Fillies’ Stakes on September 5.

Marsh got more than he had bargained for when Girlsarebackintown, third in both the Gr.3 Phoenix Park Classic and the Listed Champagne Stakes last term, raced away with the NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race.

“I thought she would be lost for a bit of early speed and would run on, but the heavy track helped and she’s tidied up a pretty good field,” he said.

“We used this as a lead-up to Wanganui and then we might go to Ellerslie. We’ll probably dodge Hastings and there are quite a few options for her.”

Girlsarebackintown settled back in the field before she improved across the top and she drove clear in the straight to turn the tables on Magic Dancer, winner of the Phoenix Park Classic at their last meeting.

Danielle Johnson rode Girlsarebackintown and she also guided She Is Stryking to victory in the Mark Ewen & Associates 1200.

“She tracked up nicely behind them on the turn and it was a nice run,” Ritchie said. “I’ve been looking at Wanganui for her and this was a perfect set up for that.”

He is confident She Is Stryking, a minor placegetter in last season’s Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes and the Listed Murdoch Newell Stakes, will make an impression over more ground later in her preparation.

“She’s by a son of Fastnet Rock out of an Encosta de Lago mare so I think she’ll get a mile,” Ritchie said.