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Star Of Manhattan has broken through for her maiden win at Bendigo in the style of a horse that has loads of ability.

Henry Dwyer has been surprised by the rapid improvement of Star Of Manhattan who broke through for her maiden victory at Bendigo on Wednesday. 

Lining-up for her second race day experience in the Smartline Finance Plate (1100m), Star Of Manhattan displayed fighting qualities reserved for better class gallopers. 

A $16 chance on debut when second at Kilmore, Star Of Manhattan, under the guidance of Craig Williamson, was sent off a $2.80 favourite in defeating Cos I'm The Boss ($3.20) with Magnalicious ($26) a length-and-a-half away third. 

"She has always been unassuming and we never really had any great expectations of her," Dwyer said. 

"Her first start, she went out $16 and we didn't have an expectation, but she impressed us. 

"She's got a bit to like about her. She digs in, wants to have a crack and I suppose that's what makes a decent horse." 

Dwyer said he was trying not to get too carried with Wednesday's victory, noting it was only a maiden, but he also said there was a lot to like about the filly. 

"She galloped on the course proper last week at Ballarat down the back straight over 800 metres," Dwyer said. 

"She got to the 700-metre mark and they were head-and-head these two horses and within 30 metres she was four lengths in front. 

"She showed a really good turn of foot in her work and must have come on since Kilmore, so here we are." 

Dwyer said there was not a lot available for the filly in coming weeks in Victoria and was against travelling to Adelaide for tougher races at this stage of her career. 

"If we give her a freshen up now, we might be able to come back and be a city class three-year-old filly in the last months of the season," he said.