THE blood doesn't get any bluer in the case of SLATER (two-year-old colt by Redoute's Choice - Special Harmony, by Spinning World), this week's extremely impressive Canterbury winner.

Dad won four Group 1s before emerging as a near-legendary sire, and mum took three Group 1s for Lee Freedman, plus she's a half-sister to Perth Group 2 winners King Canute and Redwoldt.

Slater is instantly one of the hottest young stallion prospects in the nation and he'll be eased for a while before Chris Waller plans a Spring Carnival Group race onslaught.

On the subject of Perth racing, Wednesday's Belmont card confirmed the potential of NEW IMAGE (three-year-old filly by More Than Ready - Reflected Image, by Bluebird), a dazzling 1000m winner.

From the 1999 WA Oaks winner, this one returned from a three-month spell to overwhelm the speed merchants up front.

She put almost three lengths on the nearest pursuer after hitting the home turn 11th of 14 runners.

A rare midweek card at the Sunshine Coast also heralded the debut of Brian Smith's imposing bay FAENZA (three-year-old filly by Falbrav - Hathrah, by Zabeel).

Her only previous public outing was a ripper third at the Doomben trials last November and the astute Smith has been ultra-patient. Faenza throws very much to the Zabeel side in looks.

A fast finishing fourth to She Can Command last Wednesday, the youngster found 1200m a fraction too short but did she burn turf late in the piece.

Smith will soon step her up in distance and we're tipping a top filly to zoom through the ranks.

Aussie conditioner John Size is charging ahead with the Hong Kong trainers' premiership again and he scored the quinella in Sunday's first event with two excellent prospects, FULFIL A WISH (two-year-old gelding by Commands - Silky Oak, by Green Desert) and FAY FAY (three-year-old gelding by Falkirk - Glamaine, by Centaine).

Both are still two-year-olds by our time but are considered a year older north of the Equator.

At Shatin only three-quarters of a length separated the Size duo with almost seven lengths back to the minor placegetter.

(At the risk of big-noting myself, I should point out that two of the horses I mentioned in last week's Five to Follow column has strong wins during the week. BASE ran on Wednesday May 19 at Sandown and won Race 5. BRAMPTON ran the following day at Bendigo and won Race 4.)