Racing: New stars on the rise

Oppie Bosson riding Turn Me Loose

Matt Cameron's 1000th winner, but that wasn't all there was to celebrate at Matamata on Saturday.

It was clear the back-up to New Zealand's march through the Australian group ones has admirable cover.

With Turn Me Loose on the rampage to follow Mongolian Khan's destruction last season and Xtravagant about to do battle with Australia's top 3-year-olds, heads turn to where the next wave may come from.

We saw them on Saturday in the form of Heroic Valour and Mongolian Falcon, first and second in the $50,000 Reid & Harrison Slipper.

These two Fastnet Rock colts are something special. The remarkable feature is neither has any idea yet what they're out there for.

Heroic Valour just held out a determined finish from Mongolian Falcon who dropped out last and had to come around the four rivals.

Cameron describes Heroic Valour as a "big baby".

"We know he does things wrong, but he will keep learning," says co-trainer Stephen Autridge.

Cameron has a huge opinion of the colt. "To do what he's doing at a time when he's doing things wrong is great on one level because it shows you what he's got."

Cameron was delighted to pass the 1000 wins.

"To do it in the tangerine [of Te Akau Racing] is wonderful and to have got to 1000 in my 20s is a thrill - very few have done it that early."