Taranaki mare Ladies First struck the first winning blow of her Group One campaign when she was successful at Te Rapa on Tuesday.

The Alan Sharrock-trained five-year-old sat at the back of a three horse field in the SVS Hamilton Cup (2100m) before she finished over the top of Show The World and pacemaker El Soldado.

“I just had to wait to come cross heels and she let down nicely,” rider Vinnie Colgan said.

Ladies First is now the $6 favourite for her autumn target, the Gr.1 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m).