Precocious
youngster Al Hasa earned lavish praise from Opie Bosson following a spectacular
display at Riccarton.
The handsome son of Exceed And Excel turned Saturday's Listed Barneswood Farm
Welcome Stakes (1000m) into a procession and was hard held by the top jockey at
the post.
"He's a top class horse, one of the nicest two-year-olds I've sat on for quite
a while," Bosson said.
"He's a Karaka Million horse and maybe even the Golden Slipper."
The colt was offered at Karaka earlier this year by Cambridge Stud and Te Akau
principal David Ellis went to $625,000 to secure the first foal of the Oasis
Dream mare Oasis Rose, who finished runner-up behind Sacred Falls in the Gr.1
New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) in 2012.
Al Hasa was quickly into stride to lead one off the fence and Bosson sat
quietly until well into the straight.
"He had a good look around and he's only going to keep improving. Once I gave
him a back hander he took off."
They coasted to the line six lengths clear of Thunder Bay, who edged Patsys
Lass for second money.
Trained by Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards, Al Hasa had performed well at
the trials before he made his debut last month at Ellerslie, where he bucked
out of the gates before finishing runner-up.
"Things didn't go right at the start and he's improved since then," Richards
said. "He worked nicely last Monday morning and travelled down here well.
"We'll take it one step at a time, it was a lovely win and he was really
professional today.
"He can have a bit of time at Te Akau Stud now and then we'll get him ready for
the Karaka Million."
Al Hasa is the 141st stakes-winner for Darley's champion sire Exceed
and Excel.
He has a yearling full brother that is
headed for the 2018 Magic Millions Yearling Sale and will be offered by Bhima
Thoroughbreds as agent as Lot 142.