Rarely does John Size produce the sort of praise he heaped on victorious first-starter Happy Era, as the master trainer delivered a double and the Dream Team's dominance was restored at Happy Valley.
Size and jockey Douglas Whyte - who rode both winners - have both had slow starts to the new term as they set out to defend their respective Championships, but last night's winners were typical "straight off the production line models" for the pair - maidens with plenty of upside.
"To come here at your first start, particularly on the C course, and do that is impressive," Size said of Happy Era, a Northern Hemisphere three-year-old who lumped 130 pounds.
"He has taken a while to acclimatise, but he has acclimatised quick enough to win here at his first start - that's a pretty good sign. Most horses that do that go on to have a decent future."
Size won the American Club Challenge Cup with Endowing, another three-year-old - this time a Private Purchase - at his third start, and while the horseman was labelling the stayer limited to longer journeys, Whyte was pumping up the training effort.
"If you want to know how good a trainer John Size is, go and have a look at that horse's first trial on the dirt, it was terrible," Whyte said.
Size said it might only be at 2,200m and beyond, where there aren't many options, that his newcomer would be competitive.
"He is not very effective over less than that and that is going to be his problem in life," he said.
While Size's pair seemed full of potential, it took a lot longer for Me Tsui Yu-sak's two winners to break their maidens - Just Good (Eddie Lai Wai-ming) breaking through at his 29th start and Silver Dragon giving Zac Purton the first half of a double at start No 16.
"With Just Good, I just tried and keep him fit and in good condition - then I had to wait for him to have a race run to suit, like he did tonight," Tsui said.
Lai's night was soured somewhat in the next when he was given a six-meeting improper riding suspension for his effort on Diamond Rainbow, with Silver Dragon away from the interference outside the lead.
"He is suited by the short straight here, I thought he would be midfield, but he jumped better than I expected and raced handy," Tsui said of his second winner. "Maybe he was fresh coming here for the first time."
Caspar Fownes closed the night with the last two winners, giving Purton "10 out of 10" for his ride on Victor Delight, who broke his local maiden at his 15th start. "Zac got that horse in a beautiful spot from what was a pretty awkward draw [nine]," Fownes said. "Hopefully he will come on from that - he will certainly strip fitter for the run."
Hoof and internal issues have restricted Fownes' other winner, Best Win, to just 17 local starts - but with those issues now behind him, the seven-year-old produced a fighting win under Brett Prebble. "With all the problems he has had, it's great to get a winner with him," Fownes said. "I can at least train him now and I think he can go on with it and maybe win a race up in Class Two."
The first winner of the night went to Almond Lee when Sabina (Richard Fourie) was given a perfect run from barrier one. "That was all about the draw - but also the dream pace," Lee said. "We landed right in the box seat and they went so slowly, you would hope he could win from there, the horse had dropped a lot in the ratings."
