Promising three-year-old filly Aterballeto flashed home for a tight second place in an exciting finish at her third raceday outing today at Levin.

Trained by Bruce Wallace with James McDonald aboard, the filly was navigated wide around the field in the $5,000 1400m F&M Maiden, rapidly closing the gap on the race leaders to hit the line strongly just a short head from winner Fleches D’Amour.

Aterballeto is by Stravinsky from Sadler’s Wells mare Dance My Dance. The fourth foal of her dam, she is a half-sister to recent Group 3 Lowland Stakes winner Posavina (Tiger Hill).

Posavina races this Saturday in the feature $70,000 Group 3 Manawatu Cup (2300m). A novice on this course and at the distance, the in-form filly was just beaten at her last start at Waipukurau, and has the favourable number 2 draw.

Her yearling half-sister by Holy Roman Emperor will be retained by the stud.