He’s far from the finished product and that’s a hugely encouraging sign.

That’s the thoughts of trainer Steve Telfer about Triple Eight, Friday night’s $30,000 NZ Sires Stakes/Rosslands 3YO Graduate winner at Alexandra Park.

The son of American Ideal wears a bit of gear and has plenty to learn, but he showed again with this win that he has the engine to make his way through the grades.

“He’s still got some maturing to do, mentally mainly, but also physically, too,” said Telfer.

“He’s come a long way in a short time; he qualified and went straight to the races.

“So, we will probably go easy on him for the rest of the season and try and space his races because we don’t want to overdo it with him.”

A start in the $250,000 Northern Derby in a fortnight’s time is on the cards, but he’ll get any easy time of it after that.

“He’s probably got enough to get a start in the Jewels later on in the season, too, so we’ll ease up on him after the Derby and aim him for that.”

On The Cards (Zac Butcher) flashed home for second after being starved of room for most of the straight while Solid Gold (James Stormont) held third.

Canterbury visitor Master Moonlite (Dexter Dunn) finished second last after a failed dig for the dig mid-race.

It wasn’t a fruitless trip north for Dunn or Cran Dalgety though – Derby colt Pat’s Delight handled his first look at Alexandra Park well, taking the main mobile sprint of the night as a warm favourite.

Dunn also won the night’s $30,000 NZ Sires Stakes/Rosslands 3YO Graduette, for fillies, later in the night with Kotare Cullen for his father Robert.

Tony Herlihy unleashed an exciting three-year-old trotter in Forget The Price Tag, who flew home down the outside to nail Show Of Faith in the maiden trot.

The three-year-old son of Majestic Son is out of a full sister to former champion trotter I Can Doosit.

Herlihy also won the two-year-old trot with Tickle Me Pink, a Muscle Hill filly out of the imported American mare Luby Ann.