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Bonny southern mare Miss Three Stars is making encouraging progress toward the defence of her Gr.3 Winter Cup title.

The seven-year-old followed up her Wairio Cup success with victory in the Saturday’s Greenwood Amberley Cup at Riccarton ahead of a return for her main goal – the eStar-sponsored feature on August 5.

The Tommy Beckett-trained Miss Three Stars showed her class in her latest triumph with a strong finishing bid from the tail of the field under 60kg.

“She’s got a special place in my heart,” regular rider Samantha Wynne said. “Tommy does a terrific job with her and she was in the right form for this race.”

Wynne, who was aboard the mare in the Winter Cup last year, was happy to have all the field in sight before she angled wide near the turn.

Miss Three Stars made light of her topweight and lengthened stride impressively for a soft win at the expense of What’s Up Alf, who was in receipt of six kilos.

Earlier in the day, a stablemate of the runner-up looked the omen bet of the meeting and so it proved when the promising All Black Magic coasted home in the Commodore Hotel & Taggart Earthmoving 1400.

“When the penny drops with him he could be anything,” trainer Kelvin Tyler said.

“There’s a nice race for him coming up at Ashburton so we’ll keep him going.”

All Black Magic had previously broken his maiden at Oamaru after placing in each of his first three starts.