The track was rated today a Good3 but almost from the outset riders were steering well off the inside the run home and in fact down the middle were superior lanes. Over-watering clearly was the culprit after the middle day (Wednesday and it made for a run on track almost the entire time. Only two leaders won and they came in two polar opposite distances from this Listed 2yo over 1000m and the G3 3200m later in the day. Al Hasa was odds on in this small juvenile field and after disputing the pace on the outer bolted away the run home to daylight this lot by six lengths and it could have been more. The colt is by the super Australian sire Exceed And Excel (himself a top juvenile) and out of Oasis Rose, which was second here in the G1 2000 Guineas (1600m at this week in 2012 and was a good thing beaten by Sacred Falls (a triple G1 winner in Australia since with two Doncaster Handicaps and a George Main at WFA). Oasis Rose is Australian bred like the sire of Al Hasa in Exceed And Excel but as he was sold as a yearling in New Zealand that is what his breeding shows. The colt has some size and power plus he has an extravagant action and looks to be bolting through the bridle all the time like a prancing horse. He should be unbeaten but bucked on debut and was second beaten a head clockwise. Thunder Bay was second again and has now filled that spot up in all three outings to date plus all have come behind Team Te Akau runners so must be sick of the sight of the tangerine colours. Patsy’s Lass was third and just half a head from second and she fought on well from a handy sit the outer. The other pair in the field weakened out appreciably. Al Hasa won like a good type but beat nothing though he gapped them deluxe and looks a Karaka Millions type. His winning rider Opie Bosson mentioned the colt could be a Golden Slipper type but that is ambitious after a Riccarton win at Listed level over 1000m left-handed. Then again there is a historical reference. No juvenile trained in New Zealand has ever won the Golden Slipper with fourth the best effort in 1995 by Our Maizcay and he had been beaten once at home on debut then won seven races in a row before crossing the Tasman. He sped over from the widest barrier to get outside the leader then shot to the lead early the run home and was still in front 100m only to shorten stride and be buried by Flying Spur with the a future champion in Octagonal storming home for second and Millrich nutting Our Maizcay out of third on the line. The third win of Our Maizcay came in this very Listed race in 1994 and he won by four lengths but the key difference is he clocked 55.43, which is low flying for a juvenile, and about a dozen lengths superior to Al Hasa. Dreams however are free unlike the final entry fee to pursue the Golden Slipper.