Facebook purchase El Hombre enjoyed the drop in class to score first up for new trainer Leonard Holmes at Wagga on Friday night.
With a last start third placing at The Gardens under his belt, El Hombre ($7.90) was the first to begin and never looked like being headed.
Holding off $2.80 favourite Buckett’s Way, who was slow to begin, El Hombre clocked 18.45 seconds for the 320-metre journey.
Holmes thought the dog’s speed from the box was the key and was impressed by the performance in the first of the Interior Constructions 1-3 wins heats.
Holmes has only had the dog for the last month
“I was looking for another dog to race with the bitch I have, Sweet Marika, and happened to come up with his one,” Holmes said.
“My step-daughter Laetitia Wilson found him actually and I noticed the form, rang up and spoke to the owner who had a broken hip and couldn’t train the dog properly so I knew there was some room for improvement.”
With his speed at the start, Holmes was confident on a forward showing in his first race since May.
“I knew the dog had the form and I knew it was quick out of the boxes,” he said.
“Here over the short distances if you jump you’ve got the chance to win.”
Tiggerlong Smile and For The Girls also took out heats of the series.
