Tim Vaughan’s Love Sonnet took her record over timber to two from three under a finely-judged ride from James Davies in the Odds Boost Tokens Live At BetVictor Juvenile Hurdle at Newbury.
She ended her time in Ireland with two wins on the Flat and made an encouraging hurdling debut when second at Ludlow.
Having got off the mark against her own sex at Hereford, she was taking on the boys on this occasion and looked up against it when Sean Bowen sent Explode into what looked an unassailable lead.
But his stride began to shorten approaching the last flight and Love Sonnet (6-1) stayed on strongly to win by eight lengths from newcomer Cayman Dancer.
Vaughan said: “We’re thrilled, she had run in a couple of small field races and we wanted a bit more of pace on really for her because we knew she would stay well and she got that today.
“She’s come along and won nicely and she looks progressive. She did that well and is going forwards and a big galloping track with soft ground would be perfect for her really.
“It would be lovely if we could sneak into a Fred Winter and have some real sport with her later in the season and she’s going the right way for that.”
Warren Greatrex’s Mighty Bandit (3-1) went one better than his chasing debut here in November to pick up the JM Finn Handicap Chase, but there was no luck for Patrick Mullins in his quest to tick off Newbury on his CV of British winners, having to settle for third aboard Road To Home in the BetVictor Wishes You A Merry Christmas Handicap Chase won by Jane Williams’ Knight Of Allen (9-2).
The concluding Celebrating Chris Wood’s 80th Birthday Fillies’ “Junior” National Hunt Flat Race went the way of Anthony Honeyball’s 4-1 shot Lady Litigator, who edged out Alan King’s 100-30 joint-favourite Galaxy Star by a head.
Honeyball said: “I really think she’s a nice filly and the fact she hasn’t had any racecourse gallops or anything like that, I’d mark her up a fair bit for that and I think there will be a fair bit of improvement in her.
“I’m delighted she overcame greenness and she was going sideways up the straight. She was still giving you could tell she wasn’t quite sure.
“She’s not overly big and she does jump well so there will be a hurdling career ahead but I would definitely be trying to find some black type for her in bumpers.
“Maybe the one at Sandown could be a possibility in March or maybe we let her mature a bit and if she is still rocking and rolling come April maybe take a shot at the Aintree one.
“That would be tough because she would be taking on some big girls and older mares, but she would have an allowance.”