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Two-year-old filly Connello produced a powerful home straight sprint in tricky conditions to capture her maiden victory when taking out the AB Electrical Ltd 2YO (!200m) at New Plymouth on Saturday.
The Lisa Latta-trained daughter of Time Test was fresh-up off a break following a similar effort at Trentham back in March where she also finished strongly for third behind the promising Sergeant Major.
Settled near the rear by rider Chris Dell during the early stages of the race, Connello was more than eight lengths from tearaway pacemaker Pleasing approaching the home bend with Dell hard at work as he urged her to move into contention.
Connello picked up the bit nicely early in the run home and quickly joined issue at the 150m before holding out a late challenge from Cambridge visitor Raziah to win by a nose at the line.
Latta was pleased to see the way the filly stretched out in the run home as she eyes a black type target for her early in June.
"We gave her a freshen up after her Trentham run and the couple of weeks in the paddock has worked well for her," Latta said.
"She is a true little professional and she really found the line nicely and appeared to enjoy the wetter track conditions.
"I think she will be a better filly during her three-year-old season but while she is in form we are looking at the Castletown Stakes (Listed, 1200m) for her at Wanganui on the first weekend in June as a nice target."
Dell was all smiles after the victory as he spoke about the performance by his mount.
"Race experience always puts them in good stead as she was up against a number of first starters," he said.
"She has been around some good horses lately and has knocked on the door.
"She is an honest little horse and she copped the track which is a huge thing going forward."
Bred by Helen Phinney, Tom Johnston and Georgia Brown under their HGT Bloodstock banner along with part-owner David Woodhouse, Connello is out of the Towkay mare Baillieborough and is from a family that traces back to outstanding juvenile galloper Beaufort Lass who was a multiple stakes winner and rated the top filly on the 1981-82 NZ 2YO Free Handicap.
